Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HM Revenue and Custom's publication Statistics on recently arrived non-UK EEA nationals subject to income tax and National Insurance contributions or receiving HMRC administered benefits of May 2016, how many child benefit claims of what amount were made by (a) non-UK EEA nationals and (b) recently arrived non-UK EEA nationals in each of the last three years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Government has made it clear that UK rates of Child benefit should not be paid to EU children overseas. The Government paper, “The best of both worlds: the United Kingdom’s special status in a reformed European Union” https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-best-of-both-worlds-the-united-kingdoms-special-status-in-a-reformed-european-union, sets out what was agreed at the February European council.
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the HM Revenue and Customs publication, entitled Tax Credits Statistics on non-UK EEA Nationals, of 22 February 2016, how many (a) in-work and (b) out-of-work claims of what amount were made by families with at least one (i) EEA national and (ii) recently arrived EEA national in each of the last three years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Government has negotiated a new settlement that will enable the UK to have a new emergency brake to limit full access to in-work benefits by newly arrived EU workers for up to 4 years when they enter our labour market. This will be in force for 7 years. The Government paper “The best of both worlds: the United Kingdom’s special status in a reformed European Union” https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-best-of-both-worlds-the-united-kingdoms-special-status-in-a-reformed-european-union, sets out what was agreed at the February European council.
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) press officers and (b) other officials of his Department have been or are undertaking work related to the referendum on UK membership of the EU; for how long each such official has been working on that matter; and what the salary is of each such official.
Answered by David Gauke
Staff within the longstanding International and EU group lead on providing advice to Ministers on EU and EU related issues. Staff within other groups may also provide advice or analysis on EU issues as required.
HM Treasury do not routinely capture information about each employee’s specific work. To provide information capturing the length of time official’s worked specifically on the referendum would incur disproportionate costs. Information on HM Treasury staff salaries is published on this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-staff-data
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information HM Revenue and Customs holds on (a) the nationality of individuals who hold National Insurance (NI) numbers and (b) whether an individual NI number is active with regards to PAYE or benefits claims.
Answered by David Gauke
I refer the honourable members to the recent HMRC release.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many individuals recorded in (a) HM Revenue and Customs' and (b) the Department of Work and Pension's computer systems who were nationals of another EEA member country at time of registration for a National Insurance (NI) number and are recorded as having arrived in the last four years using the earlier of his or her arrival date or NI number registration date have either (i) paid NI contributions over the previous year, (ii) paid PAYE income tax over the previous year and (iii) claimed benefits or tax credits over the previous year.
Answered by David Gauke
I refer the honourable members to the recent HMRC release.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the statistical information on active National Insurance numbers issued to EEA citizens requested by Jonathan Portes under the Freedom of Information Act on 2 December 2015.
Answered by David Gauke
I refer the honourable members to the recent HMRC release.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the commitments contained in the Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, on 18 and 19 February 2016 not to create obstacles to, but facilitate such deepening of the Eurozone and to sincere cooperation with the Eurozone, create any additional legal obligations to those already contained in Article 4 (3) of the Treaty on European Union.
Answered by David Gauke
No new legal obligations on the UK have been created in this regard. The Eurozone is a key trading partner for the UK and a stable, successful Eurozone economy is of vital importance to the UK’s own economic security. While the UK Government supports the Eurozone taking the steps it needs to succeed, the Prime Minister has secured a legally-binding agreement which recognises that the UK should not be forced to participate nor have its interests undermined.
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 20697, on national insurance: EEA Nationals, when HM Revenue and Customs will publish the information referred to in that Answer.
Answered by David Gauke
I refer the honourable members to the recent HMRC release.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-credit-statistics-on-eea-nationals
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to create a fiscal surplus by the end of this Parliament.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government has made significant progress on deficit reduction to date – the deficit has more than halved as a share of GDP from the post-war peak we inherited in 2009-10. The government will reduce public sector net borrowing at the same average rate as the previous Parliament. But with warnings of a weaker outlook for the economy, we cannot be complacent in thinking the job is done and we must continue with the plan to return the public finances to a more sustainable position.
Asked by: Chris Heaton-Harris (Conservative - Daventry)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total number is of national insurance numbers registered to EEA nationals and linked to (a) an active claim for benefits, (b) an active claim for tax credits and (c) active payments under PAYE; and how many in each such category are for EEA nationals who received national insurance numbers in the last four years.
Answered by David Gauke
The Department for Work and Pensions has published statistics on National Insurance number (NINo) allocations, including nationality at point of NINo registration, of those of working age who were in receipt of a Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-insurance-number-allocations-to-adult-overseas-nationals-entering-the-uk
HM Revenue and Customs are planning to publish further information early in 2016 once it has been properly collated.