Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase personal income tax allowances for lower rate taxpayers after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
In April, the government took a significant step towards meeting these commitments; the personal allowance increased from £11,500 to £11,850, and the higher rate threshold from £45,000 to £46,350.
By year end 2018-19, these changes will have benefitted over 31 million individuals since the start of the last Parliament, 1.2 million people on the lowest incomes will have been taken out of income tax altogether, and a typical taxpayer will pay £1,075 less income tax, compared to 2010-11.
As with all aspects of the tax system, the government will keep the personal allowance under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken as part of the annual Budget process in the context of the wider public finances.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of over-payments by HMRC to claimants in 2017.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The estimated number of overpaid tax credits awards in the 2016-17 tax year, as at 5 April 2017, was 1.57 million.
Information on the numbers of overpaid awards for each tax year are published annually in the publication “Child and Working Tax Credits statistics: finalised annual awards, supplement on payments” the most recent publication is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-and-working-tax-credits-statistics-finalised-annual-awards-supplement-on-payments-2016-to-2017
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many parents in Northern Ireland applied for tax free childcare in each of the last three years.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The table below provides the number of parents in Northern Ireland who have applied for Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) in each of the last three years. TFC was trialled in 2016 and launched in April 2017.
We are promoting the scheme across the UK, including a marketing campaign which launched on 10 September 2018, to increase awareness and take-up of Tax-Free Childcare.
Years | Total Number of Applications |
2016 | 2 |
2017 | 1,044 |
2018 | 1,301 |
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have (a) signed up to the help to buy scheme and (b) received their bonus under that scheme.
Answered by John Glen
More than 1.1m Help to Buy: ISA accounts have been opened since the start of the scheme.
On 26 April the latest Help to Buy: ISA quarterly statistics will be published and unfortunately we cannot pre-empt that release. However the most recent set, published on 11 January 2018 and covering the period to September 2017, showed that since the start of the Help to Buy: ISA scheme, 143,894 bonuses had been paid out.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/official-statistics-on-the-help-to-buy-isa-scheme
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the document, A Fresh Start, the Stormont agreement and implementation plan, published in November 2015, what the timetable is for a reduction in corporation tax in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Corporation Tax (Northern Ireland) Act 2015 allows for devolution of power to the Northern Ireland Assembly to set a Northern Ireland rate of corporation tax to apply to certain trading income.
This government remains committed to the commencement of this power once, as set out in the Stormont House Agreement, a restored Executive demonstrates that its finances are on a sustainable footing.
Subject to this, the UK government will work with a restored Executive to consider a commencement timetable.