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Written Question
Leisure: Energy
Tuesday 7th March 2023

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to support public sector leisure and sports centres with energy costs in the Spring Budget.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the Government provided an unprecedented package of support for non-domestic users, including public sector leisure and sports centres, this winter.

Wholesale gas prices have reduced significantly since the current scheme was announced and have returned to level before Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The new Energy Bills Discount Scheme will provide all eligible non-domestic energy users across the UK with a discount on high energy bills until 31 March 2024, following the end of the current Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Eligible public sector leisure and sports centres will therefore continue to receive energy bill support from April 2023.

The new scheme will help those locked into contracts signed before recent substantial falls in the wholesale price manage their costs and provide others with reassurance against the risk of prices rising again. The scheme will provide non-domestic users with long term certainty and reflects how the scale of the challenge has changed since September last year.

The majority of income available to Local Authorities in England through council tax, retained business rates and grant funding can be used flexibly across service areas, including support for leisure services. The 2023-24 Local Government Finance Settlement confirmed that councils in England will have access to almost £60 billion in the next financial year to deliver vital services, an average funding increase for councils of 9.4% compared to 2022-23.


Written Question
Licensed Premises: Government Assistance
Monday 6th March 2023

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will include additional support for (a) pubs, (b) social clubs, (c) breweries and (d) cider producers in the Spring Budget.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government is unable to speculate on the content of the Spring Budget, which takes place on 15 March.

As announced on 19 December, any changes to alcohol duty announced at Spring Budget 2023 will not take effect until 1 August 2023. This is to align with the date historic reforms for the alcohol duty system come in and amounts to an effective six month extension to the current duty freeze.

The alcohol duty reforms will include a new Draught Relief which will cut the level of duty on draught products sold in the on trade (i.e., pubs, social clubs), and a new Small Producer Relief will for the first time give craft cidermakers reduced rates as they grow their business. This will replace the existing Small Brewers Relief scheme, which has been reformed to remove cliff-edges and give craft brewers relief on their lower ABV beers too.  The final design of the reforms will be published at Spring Budget.


Written Question
Roads: Freight
Monday 6th March 2023

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will include additional support to the road haulage industry for fuel costs in the Spring Budget.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

At Spring Statement 2022, in response to high fuel prices, the Government introduced a temporary 12-month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre.

This represents a tax cut worth around £2.4 billion in 2022-23, benefiting anyone who consumes fuel across the UK – including the road haulage sector. Compared to uprating fuel duty in 2022-23, cutting fuel duty to this level saves the average UK haulier over £1,500, based on average fuel consumption.

All taxes remain under review and the Chancellor will confirm policy in the Budget in the Spring, as was the case in previous years.


Written Question
Banks: Charities and Parish Councils
Monday 27th February 2023

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Financial Services and Markets Bill on (a) the quality of services provided by banks to parish and town councils and to local charities and (b) the ability of parish and town councils and local charities to change their bank signatories.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

There are no specific provisions related to the provision of banking services to local councils and charities in the Financial Services and Markets Bill.

Nevertheless, the Treasury recognises the challenges some charities and community organisations have been facing accessing and managing banking services. That’s why the previous Economic Secretary hosted a roundtable event last year, bringing together lenders and representatives from bodies representing these organisations to discuss this important issue. Lenders heard firsthand the problems many charities and community groups have experienced, and also used this opportunity to set out the products they offer, and the diverse range of factors charities and community groups need to consider in relation to banking requirements.

Banking and finance industry group UK Finance is now working with banks and sector representatives to identify any changes banks can make to simplify processes like changing signatories on accounts, and to produce guidance aimed at helping charities and community groups access and understand banking



Written Question
Public Houses: VAT
Wednesday 25th January 2023

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to reinstate the lower rate of VAT for food and beverages sold in pubs.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

The VAT reduced rate for the hospitality sector was a temporary measure designed to support the cash flow and viability of sectors that have been severely affected by COVID-19. It was appropriate that as restrictions were lifted and demand for goods and services in these sectors increased, the temporary tax reliefs were first reduced and then removed in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances.

According to OBR forecasts, VAT will have raised approximately £157 billion in 2022/23, helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS and policing. In addition, this request should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of requests for relief from VAT received since the EU referendum.

While there are no plans to reduce the rate of VAT on food and beverages sold in pubs, the Government keeps all taxes under review.


Written Question
Leisure: Energy
Tuesday 24th January 2023

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to provide further support towards energy costs for the public leisure sector in addition to the Energy Bill Discount Scheme.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The new Energy Bills Discount Scheme will provide all eligible businesses and other non-domestic energy users across the UK, including the public leisure sector, with a discount on high energy bills until 31 March 2024, following the end of the current Energy Bill Relief Scheme. It will also provide businesses in sectors with particularly high levels of both energy use and trade intensity with a higher level of support.

Through the current Energy Bills Relief Scheme, the Government provided an unprecedented package of support for non-domestic users through this winter. The Government has been clear that such levels of support, unprecedented in its nature and huge scale, were time-limited and intended as a bridge to allow businesses to adapt.

The new scheme therefore strikes a balance between supporting businesses for a further 12 months, from April 2023 to March 2024, and limiting taxpayer’s exposure to volatile energy markets.

This will help those locked into contracts signed before recent substantial falls in the wholesale price manage their costs and provide others with reassurance against the risk of prices rising again.


Written Question
Spirits: Excise Duties
Tuesday 8th November 2022

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he will include in the Autumn Statement to protect small distillers from any increase in the level of spirits duty.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government keeps the duty rates under review during its yearly budget process and aims to balance the impact on businesses with its public health objectives.

The alcohol duty uprating decision and interactions with the wider reforms to alcohol duties will be considered in due course.


Written Question
Cancer: Cost of Living
Monday 7th November 2022

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the cost of living crisis on people living with cancer.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many people, and especially to the most vulnerable members of society, such as people living with cancer. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.

People who are living with cancer and in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help with the rising cost of living. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments. This payment can be received in addition to the other £650 Cost of Living Payment for households on means-tested benefits that was announced as part of the same package. Individuals who have limited or no ability to work because of their disability or health condition, and are in receipt of means-tested benefits such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the Universal Credit Health top up, are eligible for this support.

People living with cancer will also benefit from other forms of non-means-tested support which the Government is providing to assist with household energy bills. We have taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee, ​which limits the price suppliers can charge customers for units of gas and electricity.

In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, millions of the most vulnerable households will receive further support this year through the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme. The £150 Council Tax rebate will also mean that all households in Council Tax bands A-D will receive a rebate, and 99% of eligible households have already received this. Lastly, to support households who need further help or who are not eligible for elements of the wider package of support, the Government is also providing an extra £500 million of local support to help with the cost of essentials until the end of March 2023, via the Household Support Fund.

We are continuing to keep the situation under review and are focusing support on the most vulnerable whilst ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.


Written Question
Music: Business Rates
Tuesday 18th October 2022

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of business rates on the viability of (a) live music venues and (b) music studios.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector will receive a tax cut worth almost £1.7 billion in 2022-23. Eligible properties receive 50 per cent off their business rates bill, up to a maximum of £110,000 per business. Combined with Small Business Rates Relief, this means over 90 per cent of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will receive at least 50 per cent off their rates bills in 2022-23.

The Government also committed to freezing the multiplier for 2022-23, which is a tax cut worth £4.6 billion to businesses over the next 5 years.

Announcements on Business Rates for the upcoming financial year will be made in due course.

The Government also supports our world leading music industry through a range of export support programmes including in 2022-23 the successful Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) and the International Showcase Fund (ISF).


Written Question
Energy: Investment
Tuesday 18th October 2022

Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in the UK’s energy sector.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government is committed to encouraging investment in the UK energy sector. Investment has been incentivised through a range of levers:

o The CfD scheme has been hugely successful in driving the deployment of renewable energy while rapidly reducing costs. Allocation round 4 of the CfD, which opened in December 2021, was the biggest ever and will deliver a record capacity of almost 11GW of clean energy. This is enough to power around 12 million British homes with clean, affordable, homegrown energy, helping to reduce our exposure to volatile global prices.

o The new 80% investment allowance in Energy Profits Levy will mean businesses will overall get a 91p tax saving for every £1 they invest – this will encourage the oil and gas sector to reinvest their profits to support the economy, jobs, and the UK’s energy security.

o The £120m Future Nuclear Enabling Fund will support the development of a nuclear project pipeline as the UK strives to meet net zero by 2050.

As well as fiscal measures, the Government is committed to making the UK energy sector attractive to investors by reducing unnecessary burdens and speeding up the delivery of much-needed infrastructure. The Growth Plan sets out sector specific changes such as:

o Prioritising the delivery of National Policy Statements for energy, water resources and national networks, and of a cross-government action plan for reform of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure planning system.

o Bringing onshore wind planning policy in line with other infrastructure to allow it to be deployed more easily in England.

These changes are a vital means of driving the UK’s economic growth, increasing long-term energy security, and delivering Net Zero.