Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families with more than two children in Ogmore constituency claim (a) child tax credits and (b) universal credit; if he will estimate the number of such families who will no longer be eligible to receive benefits for a child by the end of 2017; and if he will estimate the average amount by which the benefits received by such families will be reduced.
Answered by David Gauke
This information is not available.
Information about the number of benefitting families and average entitlement in the Ogmore constituency in the tax year 2013-14 can be found in the publication ‘Personal tax credits: Finalised award statistics – geographical statistics 2013-2014’ here:
The Government is making changes to Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit which will help put welfare spending on a more sustainable path. The Government wants to move from a low wage, high tax, high welfare society to a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare society. That means more emphasis on support to hardworking families on low incomes by reducing income tax through increases in the personal allowance and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.
From April 2017, the child element of Child Tax Credit will be limited to two children. This means that families who have a third or subsequent child after April 2017 will not receive additional support for this child. Support provided to families who make a new claim to Universal Credit after this date will also be limited to two children. Equivalent changes will be made in housing benefit.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Ogmore constituency claim benefits that will be subject to the uprating freeze from April 2016 to April 2020; and if he will estimate the average difference between the amount that would be received by a claimant if such benefits continue to increase at current rates and the amount that they will receive under the proposed uprating freeze.
Answered by Priti Patel
The information requested is not available.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people in Ogmore constituency earn between £3,850 and £6,420 annually.
Answered by Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Ogmore constituency receive between £20,000 and £26,000 in benefit payments each year.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Ogmore constituency are eligible for universal credit; and if he will estimate how many such people will not be eligible for universal credit in 2020 as a result of measures announced in the Summer Budget 2015.
Answered by Priti Patel
The information requested is not available. The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit (UC) in September 2013. As outlined in the strategy, officials are currently quality assuring data for UC therefore it is not yet possible to give a definitive list of what statistics will be provided in the future. These statistics however will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for official statistics.
The latest official experimental statistics on UC and the Departments release strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of 18 to 21 year olds in Ogmore constituency after April 2017 who will be unemployed and who will not be entitled to claim the housing element of universal credit.
Answered by Priti Patel
The information requested is not available. The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit (UC) in September 2013. As outlined in the strategy, officials are currently quality assuring data for UC therefore it is not yet possible to give a definitive list of what statistics will be provided in the future. These statistics however will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for official statistics.
The latest official experimental statistics on UC and the Departments release strategy can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how epilepsy is taken into account in (a) work capability assessments, (b) entitlement to benefits and (c) assessments for availability for work for people with that condition.
Answered by Priti Patel
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) was introduced by the last Labour government in October 2008 and was developed in consultation with medical and other experts, including representative groups to ensure it is appropriate for all conditions.
Entitlement to benefit does not depend on the condition itself, the underlying cause or how it is classified, but on the disabling effects of the condition(s) present.
When assessing a claimant, Healthcare Professionals are expected to be mindful of the fact that many illnesses produce symptoms that vary in intensity over time, and are instructed not to base their opinion solely on the situation as observed at the assessment.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will respond formally to the Keep Me Posted campaign.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Government takes the firm view that consumers must be able to access clear and transparent information about their accounts with banks and other financial service companies, utility companies, media companies and other service companies.
With regards to banking, for example, the Government is continuing to drive forward a wide-reaching and ambitious programme of reforms to open up competition in the banking sector, including enabling innovation in the use of bank data so that customers are able to use online information more effectively. This includes initiatives like the Midata current account tool, which will help customers switch to the best current account for them.
The Financial Conduct Authority is also currently reviewing cost-cutting initiatives that affect a significant number of customers, including the withdrawal of paper statements.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on amending or abolishing the import/export tax regime.
Answered by David Gauke
EU customs legislation requires that VAT and, in some cases, import duties are payable on goods when imported from outside the EU, (including by post). Most goods imported with a value of £15 or less are exempt from import VAT. When the value of goods exceeds the limit, import VAT is charged at the rate which applies to similar goods sold in the UK.
If this tax were not applied to imports, there would be an unfair advantage to foreign business over UK trade which is required to charge VAT on its sales no matter the value.
Customs duty is payable when the value of the goods exceeds £135, but is waived if the amount, when calculated is less than £9. The rate of duty applicable to each category of goods is set by the EU during world trade negotiations and applied to all goods imported into the UK.
The UK does not currently apply any export taxes/duties.
Asked by: Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour - Ogmore)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of people who will (a) leave and (b) join the labour market in rural areas before 2025.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
To inform Defra’s policy brief on the rural economy published on 27 December 2014, an estimate was included for how much employment in rural areas could increase by 2025. This assumed employment could grow at the rate of projected population growth in rural areas (derived from Office for National Statistics population projections). Further details can be found in the policy brief: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/390767/policy-brief-rural-productivity-pb14252.pdf