Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HMRC national minimum wage enforcement staff were employed in each region in each year since the financial year 2009-10.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it.
HMRC enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
HMRC investigate all complaints from workers referred by the Acas helpline, or received via the online complaints form.
The total number of staff employed by HMRC since 2009-2010 to carry out National Minimum Wage enforcement is provided in the table below.
Year | Number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff |
2009/10 | 140 |
2010/11 | 142 |
2011/12 | 139 |
2012/13 | 142 |
2013/14 | 158 |
2014/15 | 183 |
2015/16 | 251 |
2016/17 | 352 |
2017/18 | 412 |
2018/19 | 429 |
2019/20 | 442 |
There are also additional staff across HMRC who contribute to enforcing the NMW including lawyers, technical advisers, and those specialising in criminal investigations. These staff are not included in the numbers outlined above.
HMRC do not hold accurate data on regional staff numbers going back to 2009-10. However, most recently, for 2019-20 there were 442 full-time equivalent NMW enforcement staff working from 22 locations in 12 regions across the country:
Region | Number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff |
East Midlands | 25 |
Greater London | 40 |
North East | 34 |
North West | 106 |
Northern Ireland | 25 |
Scotland | 65 |
South East | 12 |
South West | 13 |
East of England | 3 |
Wales | 24 |
West Midlands | 52 |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 43 |
Total | 442 |
As a national operation, it is common for staff based in one region to work cases in another.
The Government has been increasing funding for NMW enforcement year-on-year. This has enabled a significant expansion of resources dedicated to enforcing the minimum wage.
The table below provides a yearly breakdown of funding received for NMW enforcement from 2009/10 to 2020/21.
Year | Funding for NMW enforcement (millions) |
2009/10 | £8.3 |
2010/11 | £8.1 |
2011/12 | £8.3 |
2012/13 | £8.3 |
2013/14 | £8.3 |
2014/15 | £9.2 |
2015/16 | £13.2 |
2016/17 | £20.0 |
2017/18 | £25.3 |
2018/19 | £25.2 |
2019/20 | £26.3 |
2020/21 | £26.4 |
It is not possible to provide an accurate regional breakdown of the NMW enforcement budget.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HMRC has expended on national minimum wage enforcement in (a) total and (b) each region for each year since the financial year 2009-10.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it.
HMRC enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
HMRC investigate all complaints from workers referred by the Acas helpline, or received via the online complaints form.
The total number of staff employed by HMRC since 2009-2010 to carry out National Minimum Wage enforcement is provided in the table below.
Year | Number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff |
2009/10 | 140 |
2010/11 | 142 |
2011/12 | 139 |
2012/13 | 142 |
2013/14 | 158 |
2014/15 | 183 |
2015/16 | 251 |
2016/17 | 352 |
2017/18 | 412 |
2018/19 | 429 |
2019/20 | 442 |
There are also additional staff across HMRC who contribute to enforcing the NMW including lawyers, technical advisers, and those specialising in criminal investigations. These staff are not included in the numbers outlined above.
HMRC do not hold accurate data on regional staff numbers going back to 2009-10. However, most recently, for 2019-20 there were 442 full-time equivalent NMW enforcement staff working from 22 locations in 12 regions across the country:
Region | Number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff |
East Midlands | 25 |
Greater London | 40 |
North East | 34 |
North West | 106 |
Northern Ireland | 25 |
Scotland | 65 |
South East | 12 |
South West | 13 |
East of England | 3 |
Wales | 24 |
West Midlands | 52 |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 43 |
Total | 442 |
As a national operation, it is common for staff based in one region to work cases in another.
The Government has been increasing funding for NMW enforcement year-on-year. This has enabled a significant expansion of resources dedicated to enforcing the minimum wage.
The table below provides a yearly breakdown of funding received for NMW enforcement from 2009/10 to 2020/21.
Year | Funding for NMW enforcement (millions) |
2009/10 | £8.3 |
2010/11 | £8.1 |
2011/12 | £8.3 |
2012/13 | £8.3 |
2013/14 | £8.3 |
2014/15 | £9.2 |
2015/16 | £13.2 |
2016/17 | £20.0 |
2017/18 | £25.3 |
2018/19 | £25.2 |
2019/20 | £26.3 |
2020/21 | £26.4 |
It is not possible to provide an accurate regional breakdown of the NMW enforcement budget.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to use Manston airport as an inland, pre-customs clearing port for outward freight in relation to his Department's freight network capacity plans in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In the event of leaving the EU without a deal, HMRC’s plans allow for the border to operate without significant new infrastructure. In preparation for an April no deal, HMRC announced a number of easements to help businesses adjust to the new arrangements and developed temporary solutions to support transit movements at a small number of locations to address expected pressure on existing infrastructure. HMRC worked closely with Department for Transport and local agencies to expand capacity in Kent, including the use of Manston to support transit movements.
HMRC has continued to listen to stakeholders as part of their preparation for all EU Exit scenarios. HMRC are actively reviewing their plans to develop a more resilient infrastructure solution for transit movements in Kent in the event of a no deal exit on 31 October.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the customs code for the Channel ports will be extended to the Port of Ramsgate.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Government has been clear that we do not want or expect a ‘no deal’ scenario, however we will continue to do the responsible thing and prepare for all eventualities.
In the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, customs controls will be required on UK-EU trade. HMRC has been working closely with key RoRo locations and the businesses that facilitate trade through these locations to understand how best customs requirements can be implemented at Dover, Eurotunnel and other ports in Kent. In recognition of the unique nature of cross-Channel trade, and in response to stakeholder feedback, we are ensuring that a singular, joint location code covering both Dover and Eurotunnel can be used for the customs IT systems. This allows the haulier the flexibility of making last minute changes to routing, which is currently important for hauliers transporting goods to and from the EU. We will continue to work closely with the Department for Transport and other key stakeholders to plan for this scenario, including taking into account industry views on whether such a joint location code should be extended on any RoRo services that would operate out of Ramsgate.Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether Network Rail is entitled to carry over funds for each financial year in Control Period 6 between 2019 and 2024.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
Given the size of its capital spending portfolio, Network Rail will be granted financial flexibilities over its spending which will allow it to move funds between financial years, to reflect the inherent volatility of capital spending. These flexibilities were set out in the Department for Transport’s response to the Office of Rail and Road’s second consultation on Periodic Review 18’s financial framework, published in June 2018, available at http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/27862/pr18-responses-to-second-consultation-on-the-financial-framework.pdf
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer,with reference to page 46 of Autumn Budget 2017, how much and what proportion of the £200 million of private investment for the charging investment infrastructure fund has been raised.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will consist of £200m government investment to be matched by the private sector. The fund will be managed and invested in on a commercial basis by a private sector fund manager who will make independent, commercial decisions on how to invest, within parameters set by government. The Request for Proposals to select a fund manager recently closed, and government are in the final stages of selecting a preferred bidder(s). The selected fund manager(s) will raise the match funding from the private sector and the fund will start investing in early 2019.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 46 of Autumn Budget 2017, how much and what proportion of the charging investment infrastructure fund has been invested in charging infrastructure.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will consist of £200m government investment to be matched by the private sector. The fund will be managed and invested in on a commercial basis by a private sector fund manager who will make independent, commercial decisions on how to invest, within parameters set by government. The Request for Proposals to select a fund manager recently closed, and government are in the final stages of selecting a preferred bidder(s). The selected fund manager(s) will raise the match funding from the private sector and the fund will start investing in early 2019.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to help keep fuel prices for motorists low.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
To support British households and businesses, at Autumn Budget 2017, the government froze fuel duty for the eighth successive year. By April 2019, these freezes will have saved the average car driver a total of £850 compared to the pre-2010 escalator.
Since 2011, the announced freezes to fuel duty have meant the Exchequer has not collected around £46 billion in revenues through to 2018-19, and a further £38 billion of revenues will be foregone over the forecast period as a result of these previously announced freezes.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications of the findings of the report by Professor David Begg entitled Unintended Consequences of Freezing Fuel Duty, published on 1 June 2018, for the Government's policies on (a) transport, (b) road congestion, (c) air quality and (d) lost tax revenues.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
To support British households and businesses, at Autumn Budget 2017, the government froze fuel duty for the eighth successive year. Since public finances are based on the assumption that fuel duty will increase with RPI at every Budget, any increase below this represents a cost to the Exchequer. Successive freezes since 2011 have saved the average driver £620 compared to what it would have been with RPI increases.
Since 2011, the announced freezes to fuel duty have meant the Exchequer has not collected around £46 billion in revenues through to 2018-19. For the purposes of comparison, this is around twice as much as we spend on all NHS nurses and doctors each year.”
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the £200 million of private investment announced in the 2017 Budget as part of a new £400 million Charging Investment Infrastructure Fund has been raised to date.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Following the announcement of this fund at Autumn Budget, the Government is engaging with the private sector to ensure that it is set up in the most effective way. We expect to launch the procurement for the private sector fund manager in Summer 2018, who will be tasked with raising the £200m of private investment. Further details will be announced in due course.