Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent estimate she has made of the number of small businesses that have (a) relocated and (b) part-relocated their operations to the EU due to export costs in (i) Wales, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We do not have the information you are asking for, however, what we can say is that 94% of all businesses that responded to the ONS business survey in the 2 weeks to the 3rd September were not planning to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months.
We understand that SMEs have had to adapt to the new post-Brexit environment, and that’s why we are ensuring they have what they need to do so, including comprehensive guidance on GOV.UK, and support from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and the Export Support Service (ESS).
Now we have left the single market, we can turn our focus to the rest of the world, where in the 12 months to June 2023 trade is up 38% in current prices compared to pre-pandemic (2018) levels.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the UK's withdrawal from the EU (a) single market and (b) customs union on costs for small businesses that export to the EU.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We do not have the information you are asking for, however, what we can say is that 94% of all businesses that responded to the ONS business survey in the 2 weeks to the 3rd September were not planning to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months.
We understand that SMEs have had to adapt to the new post-Brexit environment, and that’s why we are ensuring they have what they need to do so, including comprehensive guidance on GOV.UK, and support from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and the Export Support Service (ESS).
Now we have left the single market, we can turn our focus to the rest of the world, where in the 12 months to June 2023 trade is up 38% in current prices compared to pre-pandemic (2018) levels.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department last reviewed the adequacy of rates for Disability Living Allowance for children.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Secretary of State will shortly be conducting his annual review of benefit levels and will report in due course.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for Disability Living Allowance for children were (a) successful and (b) not successful in Arfon constituency in each of the last three years for which data is available.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We have grouped the response to the above two parliamentary questions.
The information is not available. However, quarterly statistics for the number of children receiving Disability Living Allowance, by length of claim and by Westminster Parliamentary Constituency to February 2023, are published on Stat-Xplore.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for Disability Living Allowance for children were made in Arfon constituency in each of the last three years for which data is available.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We have grouped the response to the above two parliamentary questions.
The information is not available. However, quarterly statistics for the number of children receiving Disability Living Allowance, by length of claim and by Westminster Parliamentary Constituency to February 2023, are published on Stat-Xplore.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unsuccessful claims for Disability Living Allowance for children were (a) appealed and (b) successful following an appeal in Arfon constituency in each of the last three years for which data is available.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Figures for Disability Living Allowance appeals for claimants in the Arfon parliamentary constituency completed in each of the last 3 years are too small to be disclosed. The table below provides figures for the full 3 year period.
Year | Appeals completed | Appeals lapsed | Appeals overturned at tribunal |
July 2020 – June 2023 | 5 | - | 5 |
Notes:
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what was the average time taken for Disability Living Allowance for children claims to be concluded, including appeals processes, in the last 12 months.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The information requested on end-to-end journey times for Disability Living Allowance for children is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the inclusion of a separate operative paragraph on the persecution of Baha’is in any potential resolution on human rights in Iran that is tabled at the 78th session of UN General Assembly; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all and we have repeatedly expressed concern at Iran's ongoing discrimination against Baha'i leaders and members of the Baha'i faith. The UK highlighted Iran's treatment of Baha'is at the United Nations Third Committee in November and co-sponsored the UN General Assembly Resolution on Iran Human Rights, which calls on Iran to protect members of religious minorities including the Baha'i, and we will continue to support language on this issue. We will continue to work closely with international partners at the UN and in other fora to hold Iran to account for its dire human rights record.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of claims for the small and medium-sized enterprise research and development tax credits scheme exceeded HMRC’s 40-day processing target in each year since 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Research and Development tax reliefs are a vital driver of innovation, growth and productivity and are crucial to the government’s pledge to grow the economy. It’s important that these reliefs are easy to claim and are provided quickly to genuine claimants.
HMRC does not currently have a delay or backlog and is exceeding performance against its published goal to either pay or make contact regarding the claim for 85% of claims within 40 days.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the notice provided by HMRC to small and medium-sized enterprises of delays to the processing of their applications for research and development tax credit payments.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Research and Development tax reliefs are a vital driver of innovation, growth and productivity and are crucial to the government’s pledge to grow the economy. It’s important that these reliefs are easy to claim and are provided quickly to genuine claimants.
HMRC does not currently have a delay or backlog and is exceeding performance against its published goal to either pay or make contact regarding the claim for 85% of claims within 40 days.