Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of when the tax optimisation for cigarettes will be reached.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government believes that cigarette duty achieves a balance between its two fiscal goals on tobacco; to raise revenue and to protect public health.
In considering fiscal impacts of duties, the illicit trade is an important consideration. The government is committed to tackling illicit tobacco, which undermines health and tax policy objectives and harms legitimate business. HMRC and Border Force have an established and effective strategy for tackling tobacco fraud which has seen the illicit market reduce significantly since the strategy was first launched in 2000. This has meant that, since the introduction of the tobacco duty escalator, the size of the illicit market has continued to fall.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of future tobacco excise increases on the black market in tobacco products.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The government believes that cigarette duty achieves a balance between its two fiscal goals on tobacco; to raise revenue and to protect public health.
In considering fiscal impacts of duties, the illicit trade is an important consideration. The government is committed to tackling illicit tobacco, which undermines health and tax policy objectives and harms legitimate business. HMRC and Border Force have an established and effective strategy for tackling tobacco fraud which has seen the illicit market reduce significantly since the strategy was first launched in 2000. This has meant that, since the introduction of the tobacco duty escalator, the size of the illicit market has continued to fall.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has consulted UK-based soft drinks producers about the economic effect a potential excise duty on sugary drinks would have on those businesses.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
At present the Government has no plans to introduce new taxes on sugary drinks.
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data was used to assess the effect on merchants of exempting three party card schemes from interchange fee regulation as part of the EU Multilateral Interchange Fees regulation.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The European Interchange Fee Regulation is directly applicable to UK law. The exemption for three party schemes was part of the European Commission’s original proposal, which can be found here:
www.eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52013PC0550&from=EN
The final Regulation was agreed by the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council in March this year.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what input the Payment Systems Regulator has in assisting defining the criteria and calculations the Government intends to use to determine which particular card schemes will be subject to interchange fee regulation as part of the EU Multilateral Interchange Fee regulation.
Answered by David Gauke
The European Interchange Fee Regulation is directly applicable to UK law. However, there are discretions afforded to Member States, including an exemption for certain card schemes which have less than a 3% market share in the UK. The Government has consulted on this issue and will set out its response in due course.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the scale of the competitive advantage gained by any particular card scheme being exempted from interchange fee regulations as part of the EU Multilateral Interchange Fees regulation.
Answered by David Gauke
The European Interchange Fee Regulation is directly applicable to UK law. However, there are discretions afforded to Member States, including an exemption for certain card schemes which have less than a 3% market share in the UK. The Government has consulted on this issue and will set out its response in due course.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria and calculations the Government intends to use to determine which particular card schemes will be subject to interchange fee regulation as part of the EU Multilateral Interchange Fees regulation.
Answered by David Gauke
The European Interchange Fee Regulation is directly applicable to UK law. However, there are discretions afforded to Member States, including an exemption for certain card schemes which have less than a 3% market share in the UK. The Government has consulted on this issue and will set out its response in due course.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the scale of the competitive advantage gained by three-party schemes in their exemption from designation under the Payment Systems Regulator; and if he will publish the results of any such assessment.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government consulted on which payment systems should be brought into the scope of the Payment Systems Regulator in November 2014. The decision to designate eight systems, including two card schemes, was based on the designation criteria set out in the Financial Services Act 2013, using the evidence that the Payment Systems Regulator gathered from industry.
Based on these criteria, the Government does not consider any three-party card schemes to be appropriate for designation at this time. The Government keeps this position under review through annual horizon-scanning exercises by the Payments Systems Regulator.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what input the Payment Systems Regulator has in the Government's decision on which card schemes are to be designated for regulation.
Answered by David Gauke
The Government consulted on which payment systems should be brought into the scope of the Payment Systems Regulator in November 2014. The decision to designate eight systems, including two card schemes, was based on the designation criteria set out in the Financial Services Act 2013, using the evidence that the Payment Systems Regulator gathered from industry.
Based on these criteria, the Government does not consider any three-party card schemes to be appropriate for designation at this time. The Government keeps this position under review through annual horizon-scanning exercises by the Payments Systems Regulator.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to devolve air passenger duty to the Northern Ireland Executive; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Gauke
The rates of air passenger duty for all direct long-haul flights departing from Northern Ireland airports have been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly Government. The Assembly Government has set these rates to zero.
Any further devolution of APD to Northern Ireland, as a means to achieve a reduction in rates, would need to be funded by the Executive, in order to protect the public finances and comply with EU state aid rules.
The Government is exempting children from air passenger duty and abolishing the two highest band C and D rates charged on connected long-haul flights departing from Northern Ireland. For further information I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 January 2015 to Question UIN 220598.