Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has requested that government departments identify a minimum of 30 per cent reduction in planned Official development Assistance spending for 2020.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The UK has a legal commitment to spend 0.7% of its gross national income (GNI) each year on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The government reviews the ODA funding it allocates to projects on a regular basis in order to ensure delivery of its commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on ODA. Since this commitment is linked to the size of the economy, the level of ODA spend is likely to decrease this year, and therefore commitments of aid spending are being reviewed across all departments.
HM Treasury allocates ODA budgets to departments and is responsible for decisions on changes to these. We take evidence-based spending decisions and ensure departments maintain high standards of programme delivery that are consistent with HMG best practice.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing financial incentives to increase the (a) recruitment, (b) retention and (c) availability of key workers during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Key workers across the country have already demonstrated their courage and resolve by supporting the public during this difficult time. It is vital that public and other essential services have the workers they need going forward.
The Government is considering appropriate measures to ensure that the public continues to have access to essential services during the COVID-19 outbreak.
For public services, HM Treasury is working closely with departments to take appropriate action so that workforces have the staff they need. Departments will announce measures as soon as they have been agreed.
The Government is also amending pension rules where necessary to remove barriers to retired workers returning to work, including for the NHS, which have already been announced.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value is of the assets frozen under EU sanctions on targeted Burmese military and security personnel.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) undertakes an annual review of frozen assets in the UK, requiring all persons or institutions that hold or control frozen assets in the UK to report to OFSI. Details of assets reported to OFSI in 2019 are not yet available and will be published in OFSI’s 2019-2020 Annual Review.
Details of assets reported to OFSI in 2018 were published in OFSI’s 2018-2019 Annual Review. As of September 2018, £11.9 billion of frozen funds across all regimes were reported to be held by UK institutions. This figure is provided on an aggregate basis so as not to indirectly disclose the value of funds held by particular individuals.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral evidence of the HMRC director general of border co-ordination to the Public Accounts Committee on 5 November 2018, HC 1595, Question 51, what assessment has been made of the ability of the inland facilities to handle high-risk trade through (a) container and (b) roll-on roll-off ports across all four UK nations.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC has moved its inland pre-clearance operations to new purpose-equipped sites at Hayes and Milton Keynes. Although these sites were originally procured for the examination of Rest of World trade, post EU Exit they will be also be used to examine EU trade, within the capacity available. Checks may be performed on consignments from high risk traders from both container and roll-on roll-off ports across the whole of the UK, if required. The Government will consider the need for further sites as it evolves its approach and assesses any new risks that emerge.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral evidence of the HMRC chief executive to the Public Accounts Committee on 5 November 2018, HC 1595, Question 53, what additional inland clearance facilities are being planned.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC has moved its inland pre-clearance operations to new purpose-equipped sites at Hayes and Milton Keynes. Although these sites were originally procured for the examination of Rest of World trade, post EU Exit they will be also be used to examine EU trade, within the capacity available. Checks may be performed on consignments from high risk traders from both container and roll-on roll-off ports across the whole of the UK, if required. The Government will consider the need for further sites as it evolves its approach and assesses any new risks that emerge.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what deployments are proposed by the HMRC surge and rapid response team in respect of the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The cross-government Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) is available to all government departments to provide assistance with unexpected demands for access to their services and provide operational support in a crisis situation. The team is hosted by HMRC. Requests for support from the SRRT are prioritised using set criteria, including requests in relation to EU exit.Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions HMRC has had with the Government Race Disparity Audit Advisory Group in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
There were no discussions between HMRC and the Government Race Disparity Audit Advisory Group in the last 12 months. Annually, HMRC publishes details of the diversity of its workforce, including ethnicity, in compliance with the public sector equality duties of the Equality Act 2010. The most recent report was published on GOV.UK on 31 January 2019 for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018.
HMRC works closely with the Cabinet Office, particularly in tracking progress in increasing the proportion of BAME colleagues at Senior Civil Service level. HMRC’s wider work on race is well-established, with a staff Network, a bespoke talent programme for BAME staff, and an active Diversity Champion who is a member of the HMRC Executive Board.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral evidence of the HMRC director general for border co-ordination to the Public Accounts Committee on 20 November 2017, HC 558, Questions 78 and 111, what additional infrastructure is planned in each of the four UK nations to facilitate customs-related checks.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC has well-developed plans to ensure that on day one of a no deal scenario there will be a functioning customs, VAT and excise system.
For Day 1 of a No Deal scenario, HMRC’s plans allow for the border to operate without significant new infrastructure. HMRC are not placing specific requirements on ports and airports to have infrastructure in place by Day 1.
HMRC is working with other departments, through the Borders Delivery Group, to ensure we present, to ports and airports, a shared view across government on longer term infrastructure requirements.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on providing additional support for low-income households in Scotland.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
We’re supporting the living standards of low income families in Scotland and across the UK. The lowest earners saw the fastest pay rise in 20 years with National Living Wage and their wages rose by 8% in real terms between 2015 and 2018.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what processes HMRC has in place to ensure compliance with Regulation 5 of the Working Time Regulations 1998 in relation to staff that work regularly in excess of 48 hours per week.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Working Time Regulations 1998 are explained to staff in HMRC HR Policy 28002. The policy details the responsibility of managers to monitor working hours to ensure compliance and action that they should take if their staff are working excessive hours.
HMRC discourages opting out of the working time regulations, with any opt outs restricted to a maximum period of 12 months. Opt outs are activity monitored both centrally and by the HR Business Partners embedded in the business.