Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had recent discussions with the (a) insurance sector, (b) Financial Conduct Authority, (c) Financial Ombudsman and (d) Equality and Human Rights Commission on the ability of people in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community to obtain (i) buildings and (ii) contents insurance.
Answered by Bim Afolami
Insurers make commercial decisions about the terms on which they will offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks. However, the Government is determined that insurers treat customers fairly and insurers must comply with the relevant legislative and regulatory rules.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s rules require insurers to treat their customers fairly and the FCA has robust powers to act against firms that do not comply. The UK Government is also committed to tackling discrimination and the Equality Act 2010 providers legal protections from discrimination due to protected characteristics. This means insurers cannot use ethnicity as a risk factor when determining the price of insurance.
Customers who feel they have not been treated fairly by their insurer are able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, the independent body established to provide arbitration in such cases.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to help support people in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community to obtain (a) buildings and (b) contents insurance.
Answered by Bim Afolami
Insurers make commercial decisions about the terms on which they will offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks. However, the Government is determined that insurers treat customers fairly and insurers must comply with the relevant legislative and regulatory rules.
The Financial Conduct Authority’s rules require insurers to treat their customers fairly and the FCA has robust powers to act against firms that do not comply. The UK Government is also committed to tackling discrimination and the Equality Act 2010 providers legal protections from discrimination due to protected characteristics. This means insurers cannot use ethnicity as a risk factor when determining the price of insurance.
Customers who feel they have not been treated fairly by their insurer are able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, the independent body established to provide arbitration in such cases.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department made an assessment of the potential impact of its proposals to change the (a) income and (b) net asset financial promotion exemption thresholds for defining high-net-worth (i) individuals and (ii) sophisticated investors on trends in the level of regional economic development.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The changes to the financial promotion exemptions that came into force on 31 January 2024 were subject to a public consultation which closed in March 2022. Respondents to the consultation were broadly supportive of the changes being made. Impacts of the proposals were considered, and a de minimis impact assessment was published alongside the final reforms.
However, the Government recognises the significant concerns that have been raised recently about these changes. I met last week with the angel investing sector and listened carefully to the representations made, and the Government is working closely with the sector to address the concerns raised.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an estimate of the number of women that will meet the new (a) income and (b) net asset financial promotion exemption thresholds for defining high-net-worth (i) individuals and (ii) sophisticated investors.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The changes to the financial promotion exemptions that came into force on 31 January 2024 were subject to a public consultation which closed in March 2022. Respondents to the consultation were broadly supportive of the changes being made. Impacts of the proposals were considered, and a de minimis impact assessment was published alongside the final reforms.
However, the Government recognises the significant concerns that have been raised recently about these changes. I met last week with the angel investing sector and listened carefully to the representations made, and the Government is working closely with the sector to address the concerns raised.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations his Department received from industry stakeholders on its proposals to change the (a) income and (b) net asset financial promotion exemption thresholds for defining high-net-worth (i) individuals and (ii) sophisticated investors.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The changes to the financial promotion exemptions that came into force on 31 January 2024 were subject to a public consultation which closed in March 2022. Respondents to the consultation were broadly supportive of the changes being made. Impacts of the proposals were considered, and a de minimis impact assessment was published alongside the final reforms.
However, the Government recognises the significant concerns that have been raised recently about these changes. I met last week with the angel investing sector and listened carefully to the representations made, and the Government is working closely with the sector to address the concerns raised.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department completed an equality impact assessment on its proposals to change the (a) income and (b) net asset financial promotion exemption thresholds for defining high-net-worth (i) individuals and (ii) sophisticated investors.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The changes to the financial promotion exemptions that came into force on 31 January 2024 were subject to a public consultation which closed in March 2022. Respondents to the consultation were broadly supportive of the changes being made. Impacts of the proposals were considered, and a de minimis impact assessment was published alongside the final reforms.
However, the Government recognises the significant concerns that have been raised recently about these changes. I met last week with the angel investing sector and listened carefully to the representations made, and the Government is working closely with the sector to address the concerns raised.
Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what redress is available to energy customers who dispute the accuracy of information provided to Experian by energy companies.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Information on a credit report should be purely factual. For example, if a consumer has incurred arrears with an energy company that shares information with Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs), then these arrears will have been recorded on the consumer’s credit report.
If a consumer believes that an item on their credit report is inaccurate, they can raise a dispute with the CRA they received their report from, or with the organisation that supplied the information. If an organisation fails to correct any inaccuracies with the information that they have supplied to a CRA, a consumer can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO is the UK's independent body set up to uphold information rights, and it enforces the Data Protection Act.
The ICO can tell organisations such as energy companies to help resolve a consumer’s complaint, including requiring an organisation to correct any inaccuracies. The ICO cannot award compensation, even when it gives an opinion that an organisation has broken data protection law. However, consumers have a right to claim compensation from an organisation if they have suffered damage as a result of it breaking data protection law. This includes both material damage, for example where a consumer has lost money, or non-material damage, for example where a consumer has suffered distress. They can do this by contacting the organisation directly or by making a claim in court.