To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Taxation: Self-assessment
Tuesday 7th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in which types of media and platforms, advertising campaigns carried out by or on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs encouraging timely submission of self assessment forms by people have been placed in each of the last five years; and how much has been spent on (a) the placement of those campaigns, by each medium or platform used and (b) all other associated costs.

Answered by Lucy Frazer

HMRC spent the following on Self-Assessment advertising by channel over the past five years. This is the most detailed channel breakdown available.

2016 – 17

Radio – £389,959

Out of Home (outdoor posters) – £409,505

Digital display - £58,055

Search engine advertising - £96,000

Social media - £20,000

Research - £139,000

Production - £81,828

Total - £1,194,347

2017 – 18

Radio - £234,931

Out of home - £289,794

Digital display - £149,661

Search engine advertising - £149,505

Research - £97,335

Production - £226,580

Total - £1,147,806

2018 – 19

Radio - £254,624

Out of home - £287,841

Digital display - £182,976

Search engine advertising - £99,909

Social media - £49,943

Research - £131,425

Production - £165,017

Total - £1,171,735

2019 – 20

Radio - £185,072

Digital display - £188,363

Search engine advertising - £89,152

Social media - £72,930

Research - £133,294

Production - £55,584

Total - £724,395

2020 – 21

Radio - £290,829

Digital display - £281,545

Search engine advertising - £90,661

Social media - £144,851

Research - £55,272

Production - £90,899

Total - £954,057


Written Question
National Savings Bonds
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the launch of Green Savings Bonds by National Savings & Investments.

Answered by John Glen

The Green Savings Bonds were made available to customers via National Savings and Investments on 22 October and will be on sale for a minimum of three months. The 3-year fixed-term savings product was launched with an interest rate of 0.65% and customers can invest between £100 and £100,000.

This innovative policy, a world-first of its kind launched by a sovereign, provides UK savers with the opportunity to take part in the collective effort to tackle climate change. Since the product launch, savers have continued to invest in this bond, and they will benefit from the UK Government green financing programme’s transparent reporting processes which will detail how their savings are helping to address the most pressing environmental issues of the day. The first annual allocation report, due to be published by September 2022, will show exactly how the proceeds raised have been used. The first biennial impact report is due to be published in 2023 and will set out the positive environmental impacts of the expenditures backed by the Green Savings Bonds and green gilts. These will include benefits to the climate and biodiversity as well as, in a first for sovereign issuers, the social co-benefits of green expenditures within the programme.


Written Question
Revenue and Customs: Staff
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of staffing of HMRC.

Answered by Lucy Frazer

HMRC resourcing levels are set to deliver business plan commitments. HMRC’s latest workforce figures are published in the HMRC annual report and accounts: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2020-to-2021

The latest performance figures are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-quarterly-performance-report-july-to-september-2021


Written Question
Business: Taxation
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2021 Question 10353, on Business: Taxation, if he will publish that information for the 2020-2021 financial year.

Answered by Lucy Frazer

The mean and median duration in months for all enquiries concluded by HMRC’s Large Business Directorate was as follows:

Year

Mean

Median

2014-15

11.2

4

2015-16

11.2

4

2016-17

14.3

5

2017-18

12.9

6

2018-19

14.8

8

2019-20

17.2

7

2020-21

19.6

10


Written Question
Business: Taxation
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2021 to Question 10352, on Business: Taxation, if he will publish that information for the 2020-2021 financial year.

Answered by Lucy Frazer

Information has been provided in the table below:

Risks Closed
During each Year Ended 31 March

2014/15

Crown Dependencies

24

British Overseas Territories

54

2015/16

Crown Dependencies

25

British Overseas Territories

50

2016/17

Crown Dependencies

33

British Overseas Territories

30

2017/18

Crown Dependencies

16

British Overseas Territories

43

2018/19

Crown Dependencies

28

British Overseas Territories

31

2019/20

Crown Dependencies

25

British Overseas Territories

31

2020/21

Crown Dependencies

21

British Overseas Territories

5

Data in respect of individual dependencies and territories has not been provided to protect customer confidentiality.

Any information that could identify individual taxpayers, including aggregate information concerning a small number of taxpayers, is exempt under Section 18 Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/11/section/18


Written Question
Corporation Tax
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2021 to Question 10347, on Corporation Tax, if he will publish that information for the 2020-2021 financial year.

Answered by Lucy Frazer

Additional Corporation Tax revenues achieved through Large Business Directorate compliance activity was published in an appendix to HMRC’s 2020-21 Annual Report & Accounts.


Written Question
Treasury: Staff
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff by (a) full time equivalent and (b) headcount work in each directorate in his Department.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

The most recent available 31st October 2021 full time equivalent and headcount of paid staff who work in each directorate within the chancellor’s department are as follows.

Directorate

Full Time Equivalent

Headcount

Business and International Tax

152.9

157

Corporate Centre

226.5

236

Economics

111.0

115

Enterprise & Growth

227.0

231

Financial Services

185.8

187

Financial Stability

80.4

81

Fiscal

106.3

109

International

184.8

187

Ministerial & Communications

119.2

120

Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation

37.4

38

Office of Tax Simplification

7.7

11

Personal Tax, Welfare & Pensions

144.1

147

Public Services

173.6

176

Public Spending

184.0

187

Strategy, Planning & Budget

98.2

100

HM Treasury

2038.9

2082


Written Question
Employment: Bullying
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date his Department's internal policy on dealing with workplace bullying was last substantially updated.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

HM Treasury’s Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Policy is part of a wider policy on Dispute Resolution which was last updated in February 2019.


Written Question
Treasury: Meetings
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the (a) completeness and (b) accuracy of published records of Ministerial meetings and hospitality received by Ministers in his Department.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

The government is committed to publishing details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations, gifts (given and received), hospitality and overseas travel on a quarterly basis. The Treasury fulfils this commitment through its publications on gov.uk.

Guidance for departments on this process is issued by the Cabinet Office.


Written Question
Treasury: Meetings
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance he has issued to Ministers in his Department on the timeliness and fullness of the publication of their Ministerial meetings and activities.

Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

The government is committed to publishing details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations, gifts (given and received), hospitality and overseas travel on a quarterly basis. The Treasury fulfils this commitment through its publications on gov.uk.

Guidance for departments on this process is issued by the Cabinet Office.