Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department has spent on (a) Uber for Business and (b) other Uber transactions since 28 October 2016.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The Treasury does not hold an account with Uber for Business. Some Treasury staff may legitimately use Uber for business purposes and claim the expense. However, spend made with Uber for business, or any other transactions with Uber, is not held to that level of detail.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential VAT owed to his Department in respect of supply of passenger transportation services arising as a result of the employment tribunal ruling of 28 October 2016; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Decisions of the employment tribunal are not determinative of the VAT treatment of supplies.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) takes a risk-based approach to VAT compliance, including using HMRC intelligence and third party data.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to business of amending coin collections systems as a result of the new pound coin entering circulation in March 2017.
Answered by Simon Kirby
During the Treasury’s consultation with industry in 2014 we received a wide range of cost estimates for the transition to the new £1 coin varying by individual business need, mostly attributed to the need to upgrade coin handling equipment. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the total cost to industry.
We have, however, taken a number of steps to help manage these costs. For instance, the early announcement of the new coin has provided businesses with a long lead time allowing for effective and extensive planning ahead of the changeover. Individual businesses and the wider economy will also benefit from the reduced costs associated with a fall in the counterfeit rate, as well as from a currency in which there is widespread confidence.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made in implementing the reforms set out in Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation, published in July 2015; and whether he plans to continue to monitor the recommendations set out in that document.
Answered by David Gauke
The government has made substantial progress in implementing the policies in “Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation.” This includes: publishing a new National Infrastructure Delivery Plan which details £100 billion of planned public investment in infrastructure to 2020-21; finalising funding bands for the apprenticeship levy and setting it at 0.5% of an employer’s pay bill for employers with pay bills over £3 million; legislating for key planning reforms through the Housing and Planning Act such as automatic permission in principle on brownfield sites; signing eight mayoral devolution deals with regions across England including Liverpool, Sheffield and East Anglia; and increasing the Annual Investment Allowance to £200,000, its highest ever permanent level. The government is continuing to monitor the progress being made through mechanisms such as the Single Departmental Plans.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills regarding UK financial commitments to the European Space Agency.
Answered by Danny Alexander
I can confirm that at the December 2014 ESA Council of Ministers the Government successfully negotiated a £226m funding package for ESA programmes and, to enable this, the Chancellor agreed at Autumn Statement to provide £55m of new funding to the department for Business Innovation and Skills in 2015/16.
The package includes the UK taking the operational lead for first European rover mission to Mars, a further 6 years membership to the International Space Station and the leverage of significant industry investment into the UK’s satellite telecommunications sector.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will arrange for the Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs to provide a substantive response to the letter of 13 November 2014 from the hon. Member for Hartlepool on behalf of his constituent, Mr McGovern.
Answered by David Gauke
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) gave a full response to the hon. Member on 5 December 2014. A duplicate copy was also delivered on 9 January 2015 with a further copy sent by post on the same day to the constituency office of the hon. Member for Hartlepool.
Asked by: Iain Wright (Labour - Hartlepool)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that companies which may have engaged people wrongly claiming to be self-employed as a means of national insurance and income tax avoidance are investigated by HM Revenue and Customs; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Gauke
Legislation was introduced in this year’s Finance Act to tackle the growing problem of agency workers being falsely classed as self-employed by the use of intermediary companies. HM Revenue & Customs undertakes risk-based investigations of businesses believed to be avoiding the payment of National Insurance and income tax by classifying their workers falsely as self-employed.