Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request and publish information from the Bank of England on whether that bank has offered meetings or meals to auction at the Presidents Club in years prior to 2018.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Bank of England issued a statement on 24 January which confirmed that the Bank was not aware of the Presidents Club Dinner and did not approve any prize for auction at the event. The Bank has had no contact at any point with the Presidents Club or any of the organisers of the event. No member of Bank staff attended the dinner on 18 January.
The Bank did not approve or donate any prize for auction at the event on 18 January. Support for third party fundraisers is prohibited under the Bank’s policy for charitable donations. The Bank have made its policy available at the following link: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/about/human-resources/charitable-giving-and-inclusion.pdf.
The unauthorised re-auctioning of the prize at the Presidents Club dinner was against the spirit of the original donation. The Bank has therefore made clear that it has been withdrawn.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will require from the Bank of England a list of all the meetings, meals with its Governor or its officials or other access to its premises which have been auctioned to charitable or other organisations since 2015.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Bank of England issued a statement on 24 January which confirmed that the Bank was not aware of the Presidents Club Dinner and did not approve any prize for auction at the event. The Bank has had no contact at any point with the Presidents Club or any of the organisers of the event. No member of Bank staff attended the dinner on 18 January.
The Bank did not approve or donate any prize for auction at the event on 18 January. Support for third party fundraisers is prohibited under the Bank’s policy for charitable donations. The Bank have made its policy available at the following link: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/about/human-resources/charitable-giving-and-inclusion.pdf.
The unauthorised re-auctioning of the prize at the Presidents Club dinner was against the spirit of the original donation. The Bank has therefore made clear that it has been withdrawn.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request and publish information from the Bank of England on whether its staff attended the Presidents Club dinner of 18 January 2018.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Bank of England issued a statement on 24 January which confirmed that the Bank was not aware of the Presidents Club Dinner and did not approve any prize for auction at the event. The Bank has had no contact at any point with the Presidents Club or any of the organisers of the event. No member of Bank staff attended the dinner on 18 January.
The Bank did not approve or donate any prize for auction at the event on 18 January. Support for third party fundraisers is prohibited under the Bank’s policy for charitable donations. The Bank have made its policy available at the following link: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/about/human-resources/charitable-giving-and-inclusion.pdf.
The unauthorised re-auctioning of the prize at the Presidents Club dinner was against the spirit of the original donation. The Bank has therefore made clear that it has been withdrawn.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request from the Bank of England a list of the charitable or other organisations to which meetings or meals with its Governor, other of its officials or access to its premises have been gifted or auctioned since 2015.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Bank of England issued a statement on 24 January which confirmed that the Bank was not aware of the Presidents Club Dinner and did not approve any prize for auction at the event. The Bank has had no contact at any point with the Presidents Club or any of the organisers of the event. No member of Bank staff attended the dinner on 18 January.
The Bank did not approve or donate any prize for auction at the event on 18 January. Support for third party fundraisers is prohibited under the Bank’s policy for charitable donations. The Bank have made its policy available at the following link: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/about/human-resources/charitable-giving-and-inclusion.pdf.
The unauthorised re-auctioning of the prize at the Presidents Club dinner was against the spirit of the original donation. The Bank has therefore made clear that it has been withdrawn.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request from the Bank Of England an explanation of how tea with its Governor was permitted and advertised at the Presidents Club as an auction item; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Bank of England issued a statement on 24 January which confirmed that the Bank was not aware of the Presidents Club Dinner and did not approve any prize for auction at the event. The Bank has had no contact at any point with the Presidents Club or any of the organisers of the event. No member of Bank staff attended the dinner on 18 January.
The Bank did not approve or donate any prize for auction at the event on 18 January. Support for third party fundraisers is prohibited under the Bank’s policy for charitable donations. The Bank have made its policy available at the following link: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/about/human-resources/charitable-giving-and-inclusion.pdf.
The unauthorised re-auctioning of the prize at the Presidents Club dinner was against the spirit of the original donation. The Bank has therefore made clear that it has been withdrawn.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether there are plans for the receipts from the fine imposed on BT by Ofcom on 27 March 2017 will be spent on the roll-out of rural broadband.
Answered by David Gauke
The government is already taking a range of steps to provide rural areas with the digital infrastructure they need. The £1.7bn superfast broadband programme, will deliver at least 24 Mbps speeds to 95% of premises by the end of 2017.
We are also legislating for a new broadband Universal Service Obligation, giving people a legal right to request fast broadband services wherever they live.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in foreign governments on introducing public country-by-country tax reporting.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Treasury Ministers continue to meet with their international counterparts on a regular basis, including at the G20 and the European Union, to discuss multilateral actions to counter tax avoidance and promote tax transparency.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral contribution by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Treasury Committee on 12 December 2016, in response to Q311, who in his Department is responsible for assessing whether grant applications for Horizon 2020 funding are (a) value for money and (b) in line with Government objectives.
Answered by David Gauke
In response to Q311, at the Treasury Committee on Monday 12 December, the Chancellor referenced the process for EU Structural Funds rather than for Horizon 2020.
The Treasury will underwrite all successful 2020 bids for Horizon 2020 that are for Horizon 2020 approved by the Commission, even when specific projects continue beyond the departure from the EU. Government departments will not assess Horizon 2020 grant applications – Horizon 2020 is an EU programme, independent of the UK government, and grant funding is awarded by the Commission based on peer review.
UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds while we remain a member of the EU, and we will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the change required in the (a) cost and (b) number of personnel required for customs administration if the UK departs the (i) EU single market and (ii) EU customs union.
Answered by David Gauke
No decision has been taken on whether the UK remains in the EU single market or the EU customs union. The relationship we build with the EU will be bespoke to the UK. The government is considering carefully the impact of all the available options.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the full terms of his planned Investment Guaranteed Growth Bonds.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The government will publish further details of the terms of the NS&I Investment Bonds in due course, and with sufficient time for prospective customers to be informed ahead of the product going on sale in spring 2017. The final rate will be confirmed at the 2017 spring budget.