Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason high factor sunscreen products currently incur VAT.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government keeps all taxes under constant review.
Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.
More widely, the Government’s approach to this matter is to support safety campaigns that ensure that sunscreen is placed within its proper context; as one of the precautions that people can take against the harmful rays of the sun, but one that does not provide 100 per cent protection. Advice from leading cancer charities recommends a range of steps people can take for protection, which includes avoiding long periods of exposure, staying in the shade at peak hours, and protecting themselves with a hat and sunglasses.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department last made an assessment of the adequacy of the level of VAT on sunscreen products.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government keeps all taxes under constant review.
Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.
More widely, the Government’s approach to this matter is to support safety campaigns that ensure that sunscreen is placed within its proper context; as one of the precautions that people can take against the harmful rays of the sun, but one that does not provide 100 per cent protection. Advice from leading cancer charities recommends a range of steps people can take for protection, which includes avoiding long periods of exposure, staying in the shade at peak hours, and protecting themselves with a hat and sunglasses.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the rate of VAT on sunscreen, sunblock and other sun safety products.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government keeps all taxes under constant review.
Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and therefore is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.
More widely, the Government’s approach to this matter is to support safety campaigns that ensure that sunscreen is placed within its proper context; as one of the precautions that people can take against the harmful rays of the sun, but one that does not provide 100 per cent protection. Advice from leading cancer charities recommends a range of steps people can take for protection, which includes avoiding long periods of exposure, staying in the shade at peak hours, and protecting themselves with a hat and sunglasses.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the potential impact of her policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda on the UK's international (a) human rights obligations and (b) reputation.
Answered by Simon Baynes
This Government is committed to our migration Partnership with Rwanda, which will break the business model of criminal gangs, save lives and help to tackle the global migration crisis.
As with any policy, there have been discussions throughout its development. We are confident that the policy is fully compliant with our domestic and international legal and human rights obligations.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of discrimination faced by Palestinians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We are concerned about increased tensions in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and are monitoring the situation closely. We are committed to achieving a negotiated two-state solution, which envisions both Israel and a viable Palestinian State, living side by side in peace and security and mutual recognition. We have a regular dialogue on human rights with the Government of Israel to encourage them to abide by obligations under international law and to do all it can to uphold the values of equality for all.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the announcement of 19 May 2022 of new powers for the Financial Conduct Authority to protect access to cash, what the criteria will be for deciding on expectations for reasonable distance for people to travel when depositing or withdrawing cash.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government recognises the importance of cash to the daily lives of millions of people across the UK, particularly to those in vulnerable groups, and has announced that it will legislate to protect access to cash in the Financial Services and Markets Bill.
In May, the government published a summary of responses to the Access to Cash consultation. This set out the government’s intention to establish the Financial Conduct Authority as the lead regulator for retail cash access and provide it with appropriate powers for ensuring that designated firms continue to ensure the provision of deposit and withdrawal facilities across the UK. The FCA’s powers will allow it to address cash access issues at both a national and local level.
HM Treasury will publish its expectations in a policy statement, which the FCA will be required to have regard to in carrying out its functions. The government intends to enable HM Treasury to specify baselines for reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities across the UK, including in rural and urban areas, initially on the basis of current cash access provision.
Around 96% of the population are within two kilometres of a free-to-use cash access point. This includes free-to-use ATMs, bank branches and Post Office branches.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on clearing the backlog of passport applications; and whether she plans to make additional staff available to HM Passport Office to speed up processing times.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Ahead of unrestricted international travel returning, HM Passport Office prepared extensively to serve an unprecedented number of customers, with 9.5 million British passport applications forecasted throughout 2022.
These preparations, which include the recruitment of 500 additional staff since April 2021 and with plans in place to recruit a further 700 by this summer, have ensured that passport applications can be processed in higher numbers than ever before. This was demonstrated in March and April 2022 when HM Passport Office achieved a record monthly high by completing the processing of approximately two million applications.
Ministers continue to meet regularly with officials to monitor performance, and to explore further options that will help to ensure that people receive their passports in good time.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to procure the Evusheld drug for treatment of covid-19 for clinically extremely vulnerable people.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 17 March 2022, Evusheld was granted conditional marketing approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). However, the MHRA highlighted uncertainty over the appropriate dose needed for protection against the Omicron variant. Understanding its efficacy is necessary prior to any procurement or deployment decisions. The UK Health Security Agency is currently undertaking further testing on the treatment’s effectiveness against the Omicron variant to inform any such decisions.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ukrainians on a seasonal work visa as of 28 March 2022 will have the same access to Government support schemes intended for Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Ukrainians who are in the UK under the Seasonal Worker route are able to have their visa extended until 31 December 2022.
Ukrainian seasonal workers who are an immediate or extended family member of a person in the UK who is a British citizen, settled in the UK, or who has certain types of limited leave may be eligible under the Ukraine Family Scheme if they were resident in Ukraine immediately before 1 January 2022. Full details of which can be found here: Apply for a Ukraine Family Scheme visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Ukrainian nationals who had permission to stay in the UK on 18 March 2022 (or those whose visa has recently expired) will be able to stay in the UK under the Ukraine Extension Scheme. Eligibility for permission to stay will include those who were in the UK before 18 March as seasonal workers.
The Seasonal Worker route remains open to all nationalities wishing to take up work in the horticulture sector.
Asked by: Amy Callaghan (Scottish National Party - East Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many additional support staff she plans to deploy at visa application centres in countries bordering Ukraine to support people and families of UK nationals with the visa application process.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand, including from pressures relating to Ukraine.
The Home Office and the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have surged staff across Europe to meet demand, where we can offer over 13,000 appointments to visa applicants, and UKVI staff in the UK are working seven days a week to process applications.
As part of the Home Office’s commitment to make it easier for applicants to apply to our schemes, since 15 March Ukrainians with valid passports no longer need to go to a Visa Application Centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK.