Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to boost oil and gas exploration in the UK continental shelf.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook (November 2016) includes the latest forecasts for oil and gas. The November Outlook indicates a downward trend in planned capital expenditure in the oil and gas sector, from £10.1 billion in 2016 to £3.7 billion in 2021. This reflects a lower oil price and its consequential effect on overall production.
The Government has taken unprecedented action to support jobs, investment and activity in the UK and UK Continental Shelf. Budget 2016 announced a £1 billion package of fiscal reform, supporting the industry through the challenging commercial conditions caused by the steep fall in oil prices. Lower tax rates will improve the economics of new investment and future discoveries. The basin-wide Investment Allowance, introduced in 2015, further reduces the effective rate of tax for many companies, including at the exploration stage.
As a result of these changes, the UK now has one of the most competitive tax regimes for oil and gas in the world, supporting jobs and investment.
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of fiscal changes made in the Budget 2016 on exploration in the oil and gas sector.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook (November 2016) includes the latest forecasts for oil and gas. The November Outlook indicates a downward trend in planned capital expenditure in the oil and gas sector, from £10.1 billion in 2016 to £3.7 billion in 2021. This reflects a lower oil price and its consequential effect on overall production.
The Government has taken unprecedented action to support jobs, investment and activity in the UK and UK Continental Shelf. Budget 2016 announced a £1 billion package of fiscal reform, supporting the industry through the challenging commercial conditions caused by the steep fall in oil prices. Lower tax rates will improve the economics of new investment and future discoveries. The basin-wide Investment Allowance, introduced in 2015, further reduces the effective rate of tax for many companies, including at the exploration stage.
As a result of these changes, the UK now has one of the most competitive tax regimes for oil and gas in the world, supporting jobs and investment.
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of fiscal changes made in the Budget 2016 on capital investment in the oil and gas sector.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook (November 2016) includes the latest forecasts for oil and gas. The November Outlook indicates a downward trend in planned capital expenditure in the oil and gas sector, from £10.1 billion in 2016 to £3.7 billion in 2021. This reflects a lower oil price and its consequential effect on overall production.
The Government has taken unprecedented action to support jobs, investment and activity in the UK and UK Continental Shelf. Budget 2016 announced a £1 billion package of fiscal reform, supporting the industry through the challenging commercial conditions caused by the steep fall in oil prices. Lower tax rates will improve the economics of new investment and future discoveries. The basin-wide Investment Allowance, introduced in 2015, further reduces the effective rate of tax for many companies, including at the exploration stage.
As a result of these changes, the UK now has one of the most competitive tax regimes for oil and gas in the world, supporting jobs and investment.
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support local and regional newspapers.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The local press is a crucial source of information for local communities and a vital part of a healthy democracy.
In the March 2016 budget the government announced the introduction of a £1,500 business rates discount for local newspapers for two years from 1 April 2017. The government's response and guidance regarding the business rates relief was published on 2 December 2016. More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-case-for-a-business-rates-relief-for-local-newspapers
Following the BBC Charter Review, the BBC is also working in partnership with the local news industry to support local journalism. On 12 May 2016 the BBC and the News Media Association announced their plans for the partnership, including the BBC's funding of 150 local journalists from 2017. More information is available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/bbc-nma-partnership
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of sums to be accrued to the public purse from the apprenticeship levy on public sector bodies in each of the next three years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The apprenticeship levy, will be a charge on all employers across the UK who have a paybill greater than £3 million. It is forecast to yield £2.6 billion in 2017-18, £2.7 billion in 2018-19 and £2.8 billion in 2019-20.
In 2016, the then Chancellor, in a letter to the Treasury Select Committee, set out an estimate of the impact of the apprenticeship levy on public sector bodies. This was published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chancellor-to-chairman-of-treasury-select-committee-on-the-apprenticeship-levy.
Sub-national forecasts of the contribution made by public bodies and NHS trusts have not been made. The Scottish Government and the other devovled administrations will each receive a population share of the apprenticeship levy forecast as set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-agrees-apprenticeship-levy-funding-deal-with-devolved-administrations.
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the sums to be accrued to the public purse from the apprenticeship levy on NHS trusts in each nation of the UK in each of the next three years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The apprenticeship levy, will be a charge on all employers across the UK who have a paybill greater than £3 million. It is forecast to yield £2.6 billion in 2017-18, £2.7 billion in 2018-19 and £2.8 billion in 2019-20.
In 2016, the then Chancellor, in a letter to the Treasury Select Committee, set out an estimate of the impact of the apprenticeship levy on public sector bodies. This was published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chancellor-to-chairman-of-treasury-select-committee-on-the-apprenticeship-levy.
Sub-national forecasts of the contribution made by public bodies and NHS trusts have not been made. The Scottish Government and the other devovled administrations will each receive a population share of the apprenticeship levy forecast as set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-agrees-apprenticeship-levy-funding-deal-with-devolved-administrations.
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of sums to be accrued to the public purse from the apprenticeship levy on local authorities in each nation of the UK in each of the next three years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The apprenticeship levy, will be a charge on all employers across the UK who have a paybill greater than £3 million. It is forecast to yield £2.6 billion in 2017-18, £2.7 billion in 2018-19 and £2.8 billion in 2019-20.
In 2016, the then Chancellor, in a letter to the Treasury Select Committee, set out an estimate of the impact of the apprenticeship levy on public sector bodies. This was published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chancellor-to-chairman-of-treasury-select-committee-on-the-apprenticeship-levy.
Sub-national forecasts of the contribution made by public bodies and NHS trusts have not been made. The Scottish Government and the other devovled administrations will each receive a population share of the apprenticeship levy forecast as set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-agrees-apprenticeship-levy-funding-deal-with-devolved-administrations.
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of sums to be accrued to the public purse from the apprenticeship levy on public sector bodies in Scotland in each of the next three years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The apprenticeship levy, will be a charge on all employers across the UK who have a paybill greater than £3 million. It is forecast to yield £2.6 billion in 2017-18, £2.7 billion in 2018-19 and £2.8 billion in 2019-20.
In 2016, the then Chancellor, in a letter to the Treasury Select Committee, set out an estimate of the impact of the apprenticeship levy on public sector bodies. This was published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chancellor-to-chairman-of-treasury-select-committee-on-the-apprenticeship-levy.
Sub-national forecasts of the contribution made by public bodies and NHS trusts have not been made. The Scottish Government and the other devovled administrations will each receive a population share of the apprenticeship levy forecast as set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-agrees-apprenticeship-levy-funding-deal-with-devolved-administrations.
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the level of investment in renewable electricity generation in Scotland in 2017.
Answered by Jesse Norman
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to Question 59836:
Asked by: Callum McCaig (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the level of investment in renewable electricity generation in Scotland in 2018.
Answered by Jesse Norman
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to Question 59836: