Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide a detailed reply to the letter of 7 May 2020 from the General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers on proposals for supporting (a) employment and (b) services in the inland waterways sector after the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
I understand that the Government has responded to the letter from the General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.
The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, business and workers to protect against the current economic emergency.
Our economic response is one of the most generous and comprehensive globally. The government is monitoring the impact measures are having with regard to supporting public services, businesses, and individuals, and keeps all policies under review.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether community benefit societies are eligible for the enterprise investment scheme.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Community Benefit Societies are eligible to receive investments under the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), subject to meeting all the EIS rules. The rules include a requirement for the company to trade commercially with a view to profit, including where the company intends to use its profits to benefit the community.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HM Revenue and Customs digital press release of 13 February 2017, Green light for Government Gateway Transformation, which other Government Departments are planning to use the new verification service.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Government Digital Service are working with Government departments to help them find suitable solutions beyond March 2018, when the current version of the Government Gateway will be commissioned.
GOV.UK Verify will be the single identification service for individuals. The authentication service that HMRC is developing to replace the Government Gateway will complement the existing GOV.UK Verify service for business representatives.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which transactions are planned to be processed via the (a) new identity verification service planned by HM Revenue and Customs and (b) Government Digital Service platform Verify when the Government Gateway service expires in March 2018.
Answered by Jane Ellison
GOV.UK Verify will be the single identification service for individuals. The authentication service that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is developing to replace the Government Gateway will complement the existing GOV.UK Verify service for business representatives.
HMRC agreed with the Cabinet Office and Department for Work and Pensions to take on responsibility for decommissioning the existing Government Gateway, in line with current contractual arrangements, by March 2018. HMRC and the Government Digital Service are working with government departments to help them find suitable solutions beyond that point.
The cost of building a replacement Gateway service is commercially sensitive information, and so cannot be provided.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which departments plan to use the HM Revenue and Customs identity verification service planned to replace the Government Gateway service from March 2018.
Answered by Jane Ellison
GOV.UK Verify will be the single identification service for individuals. The authentication service that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is developing to replace the Government Gateway will complement the existing GOV.UK Verify service for business representatives.
HMRC agreed with the Cabinet Office and Department for Work and Pensions to take on responsibility for decommissioning the existing Government Gateway, in line with current contractual arrangements, by March 2018. HMRC and the Government Digital Service are working with government departments to help them find suitable solutions beyond that point.
The cost of building a replacement Gateway service is commercially sensitive information, and so cannot be provided.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the planned expenditure is on the HM Revenue and Customs identity assurance system planned to replace the Government Gateway service from March 2018.
Answered by Jane Ellison
GOV.UK Verify will be the single identification service for individuals. The authentication service that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is developing to replace the Government Gateway will complement the existing GOV.UK Verify service for business representatives.
HMRC agreed with the Cabinet Office and Department for Work and Pensions to take on responsibility for decommissioning the existing Government Gateway, in line with current contractual arrangements, by March 2018. HMRC and the Government Digital Service are working with government departments to help them find suitable solutions beyond that point.
The cost of building a replacement Gateway service is commercially sensitive information, and so cannot be provided.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Government plans to publish the equality impact analysis of the Autumn Statement 2016 to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Answered by David Gauke
In line with the Government’s legal responsibilities and policy commitment to promote fairness, the Treasury and other Government departments fully comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), including with respect to all publication requirements.
When working on policy, including measures announced at the Autumn Statement 2016, Ministers are advised of the impact a decision has on protected groups, and this is taken into account when a policy decision is made. There is no statutory requirement to prepare this information in a particular form or to publish Equality Impact Assessments.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will confirm whether the £3 million announced in paragraph 5.15 of the Autumn Statement 2016 with regard to the proceeds from the Tampon Tax is new funding or the remaining allocation of 2015 funds.
Answered by David Gauke
The £3 million awarded via the Tampon Tax Fund as part of Autumn Statement 2016 is in addition to funds awarded at previous fiscal events.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Government plans to publish the equality impact analysis on compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Answered by David Gauke
In line with the Government’s legal responsibilities and policy commitment to promote fairness, the Treasury and other Government departments fully comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), including with respect to all publication requirements.
The PSED requires public bodies to consider the potential impact of decisions on groups with protected characteristics. The Treasury’s equality and diversity pages on gov.uk include an explanation of how the Treasury complies with the PSED. The page is found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/about/equality-and-diversity
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8088, if he will make it his policy to conduct an assessment of the potential effect of proposed changes to tax credits and housing benefit in the Summer Budget 2015 on the number of abortions in the UK.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon Member to my answer of 11 September.
No assessment has been made of the potential effect of proposed changes to tax credits and housing benefit in the Summer Budget 2015 on the number of abortions in the UK.