Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it will be mandatory or voluntary for employers to pay contributions into the furlough scheme when the Government reduces its 80 per cent contribution.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Employer contributions will be mandatory from August for those who opt to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
In June and July, the Government will pay 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 as well as employer National Insurance Contributions (ER NICS) and pension contributions for the hours the employee does not work. Employers will have to pay employees for the hours they work.
In August, the Government will pay 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 and employers will pay ER NICs and pension contributions for the hours the employee does not work.
In September, the Government will pay 70% of wages up to a cap of £2,187.50 for the hours the employee does not work. Employers will pay ER NICs and pension contributions and 10% of wages to make up the 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500.
In October, the Government will pay 60% of wages up to a cap of £1,875 for the hours the employee does not work. Employers will pay ER NICs and pension contributions and 20% of wages to make up the 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2019 to Question 203305 on Revenue and Customs: Fraud, how many people were convicted of fraud or related offences as a result of investigations by the HMRC Customer Protection Team in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) 2017-18; how many staff were employed in the HMRC Customer Protection Team in (i) 2015-16, (ii) 2016-17, (iii) 2017-18 and (iv) 2018-19; and how many European Arrest Warrants were sought as a result of investigations by the HMRC Customer Protection Team in (A) 2015-16, (B) 2016-17 and (C) 2017-18.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The HMRC Customer Protection Team is responsible for reporting known cases, requesting removal of suspicious websites and raising awareness among the general public of how to identify scams and avoid becoming victims of fraud. HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) is responsible for the department’s civil and criminal investigations into the most serious fraud and wrongdoing. FIS ensures that HMRC has an effective approach to tackling the most serious tax evasion and fraud.
Precise data is not held by HMRC in regard to convictions or European Arrest Warrants specifically relating to the sending of suspicious (i) e-mails, (ii) text messages and (iii) phone calls asking for personal information or threatening a lawsuit. HMRC works with law enforcement partners in the UK and internationally, and some individuals responsible for these communications have been arrested and charged by partner agencies, but precise figures are not held. Where sufficient intelligence exists to identify those responsible for such communications, HMRC will pursue a criminal investigation where appropriate
Data security is one of HMRC’s top priorities and the department maintains appropriate skills and capabilities to assess and manage cybersecurity risks. For security reasons, HMRC cannot go into the details of the capabilities deployed in this area.
The total number of people convicted of tax fraud or related offences as a result of investigations by HMRC Fraud Investigation Service is:
Year | Convictions |
2015/16 | 808 |
2016/17 | 807 |
2017/18 | 835 |
HMRC is not a prosecuting authority. HMRC prepares the cases to the highest evidential standard, and pass the case to the relevant prosecuting authority to make a decision on whether the case goes to Court.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) reports of suspicious (i) e-mails, (ii) text messages and (iii) phone calls asking for personal information or threatening a lawsuit were received by HMRC, (b) individuals believed to have been responsible for those communications were (i) identified, (ii) charged and (iii) convicted, (c) HMRC staff were deployed to investigate phishing scams in 2017-18 and (d) HMRC staff have been deployed to investigate such scams in 2018-19; and what recent (A) steps HMRC has taken and (B) assessment he has made of its performance in tackling such scams.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
From April 2018 to November 2018, HMRC has received:
reports of suspicious:
(i) e-mails – 636,789
(ii) text messages – 28,639
(iii) phone calls asking for personal information or threatening a lawsuit were received by HMRC – 44,435
HMRC has a dedicated Customer Protection team targeting scams, which has:
However, the information required to answer (b), (c) and (d) cannot be provided as releasing it may prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. The information could be used by individuals for criminal activity and departmental IT systems could be exposed or left vulnerable to interference or attack.
Doing so could give criminals valuable insight into HMRC’s capabilities and processes in this area and cybersecurity in general, opening up the Department and the wider public to more informed and effective scams and attacks. While publishing the information requested could, on the face of it, reassure the public that HMRC is suitably resourced to handle risks posed by cybercrime, on balance it is not in the public interest.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Written Statement of 18 December 2018 on Public Spending, HCWS1205, what the value was of each Department's bid for funding.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
As part of preparing for the UK’s departure from the EU, the Treasury has allocated £2bn of funding for departments in 2019-20. Details of the figures allocated to individual department were announced in the Written Statement on 18th December 2018 (HCWS1205). As ever, the Treasury continually engages with departments on spending pressures. These allocations are reflective of departmental need in various EU Exit scenarios.
HM Treasury does not publish bids received from departments for public spending.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for each (a) government department and (b) non-departmental public body how much additional funding to support EU-exit related activity in (i) 2018-19 and (ii) 2019-20 has been (A) bid for and (B) allocated; and whether his Department plans to invite further such bids for such funding in 2018-19.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
At the Autumn Budget 2017, the Government committed an additional £3 billion over 2018/19 and 2019/20 to help departments and non-departmental public bodies prepare for the UK’s exit from the EU. As part of the bidding process, non-departmental bodies bid through central departments.
The final allocations for 2018/19 were announced at Spring Statement 2018, with just over £1.5bn allocated to departments and non-departmental public bodies. A full breakdown of allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, laid on the 13th March (https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/)
The Treasury is discussing EU Exit preparations for 2019/20 with departments and allocations will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he made of the adequacy of social care funding prior to Autumn Budget 2017.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
Recognising the challenges of an ageing and growing population, Spring Budget 2017 announced £2 billion additional funding for adult social care to meet social care needs, reduce pressures on NHS services, and support the social care provider market.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many successful applications have been made for tax-free childcare accounts in each (a) constituency and (b) local authority area
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The information requested is not available at the current time.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement about the outcomes of HM Revenue and Customs' Let Property Campaign to date and the plans for the Let Property Campaign until 2020.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched the Let Property Campaign in 2013, which focusses on the residential property letting market. It aims to help landlords to get their tax right from day one, keeping them on track and offering an opportunity to address previous errors. The campaign has been successful at both providing education material to prevent tax loss and enabling landlords to bring their affairs up to date.
The Let Property Campaign has raised over £115m in additional tax, interest and penalties to December 2016. Of that total, £9.6m represents penalties paid by landlords.
HMRC plan to continue the Let Property Campaign for the foreseeable future as it continues to help ensure customers understand their obligation and to target those that choose not to meet them.
HMRC does not hold information in a form that allows them to provide the estimate requested. However, data sources used in the Let Property Campaign include information annually requested from local authorities: a register of all licenses issued for Homes with Multiple Occupancy, and local authority returns of Housing Benefit paid directly to Landlords during the last financial year.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which local authorities in England share the names and addresses of landlords with HM Revenue and Customs.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched the Let Property Campaign in 2013, which focusses on the residential property letting market. It aims to help landlords to get their tax right from day one, keeping them on track and offering an opportunity to address previous errors. The campaign has been successful at both providing education material to prevent tax loss and enabling landlords to bring their affairs up to date.
The Let Property Campaign has raised over £115m in additional tax, interest and penalties to December 2016. Of that total, £9.6m represents penalties paid by landlords.
HMRC plan to continue the Let Property Campaign for the foreseeable future as it continues to help ensure customers understand their obligation and to target those that choose not to meet them.
HMRC does not hold information in a form that allows them to provide the estimate requested. However, data sources used in the Let Property Campaign include information annually requested from local authorities: a register of all licenses issued for Homes with Multiple Occupancy, and local authority returns of Housing Benefit paid directly to Landlords during the last financial year.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the additional (a) tax revenue and (b) revenue derived from penalties that resulted from local authorities sharing data with HMRC.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched the Let Property Campaign in 2013, which focusses on the residential property letting market. It aims to help landlords to get their tax right from day one, keeping them on track and offering an opportunity to address previous errors. The campaign has been successful at both providing education material to prevent tax loss and enabling landlords to bring their affairs up to date.
The Let Property Campaign has raised over £115m in additional tax, interest and penalties to December 2016. Of that total, £9.6m represents penalties paid by landlords.
HMRC plan to continue the Let Property Campaign for the foreseeable future as it continues to help ensure customers understand their obligation and to target those that choose not to meet them.
HMRC does not hold information in a form that allows them to provide the estimate requested. However, data sources used in the Let Property Campaign include information annually requested from local authorities: a register of all licenses issued for Homes with Multiple Occupancy, and local authority returns of Housing Benefit paid directly to Landlords during the last financial year.