Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time taken was to resolve enquiries from hon. Members about tax credit cases; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce that time.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Tax Credit Office aims to prioritise and respond to representations from hon. Members as soon as possible. HMRC do not routinely record and collate performance against specific timescales for such representations.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been paid in working tax credit to people in Bolton North East constituency in (a) 2015-16 to date, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2013-14.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Information for (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2014-15 is not available. HMRC will be publishing the 2014-15 Tax Credits Finalised Awards National Statistics on 27th May 2016.
Information for 2013-14 can be found in the latest publication, Child and Working Tax Credits statistics, finalised annual awards - geographical analysis, which is available at:
Table 3 provides information on the average number of families in receipt of Child Tax Credit and/or Working Tax Credit and their average annual entitlements. For families in receipt of CTC and WTC, the average annual entitlement is the combined amount of both tax credits. The information is available for each Westminster Parliamentary constituency, including Bolton North East.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the leaders of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on future provision of funding for the arts after the devolution agreement comes into effect.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is working closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on the implementation of the landmark agreement to introduce a metro-wide Mayor. Culture is a key element of building a Northern Powerhouse. The Government has committed to support arts and cultural projects in Greater Manchester, including £78 million towards a new theatre and exhibition space called The Factory Manchester, and £3 million for a new temporary exhibition space at Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that mortgage holders over the age of 65 are not discriminated against.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The government is aware of recent reports that some older borrowers have encountered difficulties in getting a mortgage. While some lenders do have age limits in place beyond which they do not lend, this will not be the case for all lenders.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for the rules that protect consumers taking out a mortgage. At the heart of their rules is a requirement that lenders should treat borrowers fairly. Following the introduction of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) in April last year, the FCA is continuing to review how their rules are being implemented to ensure that they are working as intended. The operation of the MMR and other mortgage lending rules is a matter for the FCA, whose day-to-day operations are independent from government.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average waiting time was for customers who dialled the HM Revenue and Customs helpline number for (a) self assessment, (b) tax credits, (c) child benefit, (d) income tax, (e) National Insurance and (f) VAT in each of the last five years.
Answered by David Gauke
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs publishes regular performance reports, which are available on: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-plan-indicators
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the potential cost to the public purse of converting HM Revenue and Customs helpline numbers to Freephone services.
Answered by David Gauke
No such estimate has been made.
In line with government and OFCOM guidance, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has migrated all of its customer-facing 0845 helplines to 03 numbers, resulting in significant savings for its customers.
Asked by: David Crausby (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to improve the level of (a) telephone and (b) online assistance provided by HM Revenue and Customs.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have introduced changes to the way they work.
They have invested in a new telephone system which has enabled staff from other parts of the department to answer telephone calls at busy times. They have also increasing the number of customers' queries that are answered during the first phone call.
HMRC are developing their existing online services. For people who cannot use online government services on their own, or need extra support, HMRC will offer a range of services including web-chat support and, if required, one-to-one support.