Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the income to the Exchequer in 2020-21 had an investment income surcharge of the forms in existence until 1983 been in place.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government has no current plans to reintroduce the investment income surcharge. As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government keeps tax reliefs under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken by the Chancellor in the context of the wider public finances.Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the potential income that would have been generated for the Exchequer if an investment income surcharge of the form in existence until 1983 been in place in each year since 2010-11.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government has no current plans to reintroduce the investment income surcharge. As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government keeps tax reliefs under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken by the Chancellor in the context of the wider public finances.Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what additional steps he has taken to restrict conversion of income into capital gains or corporation revenues following his announcement of the reversal in the top rate of income tax previously announcement in the fiscal statement of 23 September.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
For individuals, it is the scope, rates and allowances of Capital Gains Tax that restrict the conversion of income into capital gains. At the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced that the annual exempt amount will be cut to £6,000 for tax year 2023-24 and to £3,000 for subsequent years.
In relation to Corporation Tax, specific anti-avoidance rules apply where income is converted into capital gains in order to use losses.
Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many incidents potentially related to money laundering have (a) the Inland Revenue and (b) HM Customs and Excise reported to the appropriate investigative agencies in each year since 2010; and how many prosecutions resulted from these reports in each year.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
HMRC do not record the requested data.
Information about HMRC’s referrals of suspicious activity to the National Crime Agency, and how HMRC shares information with domestic law enforcement agencies, is set out in its annual anti-money laundering supervision self-assessment report, the latest of which is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-economic-crime-supervision-annual-assessment-report-2021-to-2022.
HMRC also has a network of intelligence officers embedded with domestic partner agencies to assist with their operational work. 13 officers are embedded with police teams, including Regional Organised Crime Units, and 7 with other law enforcement agencies. In addition, 5 HMRC officers are seconded to the National Economic Crime Centre and 2 are embedded in the United Kingdom Financial Intelligence Unit.
If any referrals are adopted by these investigating agencies, it is a decision for them, in tandem with the relevant prosecuting authority to pursue a criminal prosecution for money laundering offences.
HMRC can and does investigate money laundering, linked to its assigned matters, as well as criminal breaches of the Money Laundering Regulations. Since 2011/12, HMRC opened 358 investigations involving money laundering or breaches of the Money Laundering Regulations and 301 individuals have been prosecuted for either offence over the same period.
Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on the recent protests in Uttar Pradesh; whether she plans to meet her Indian counterpart to discuss those protests; and whether she has plans to visit that country in the near future.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We are aware of recent reports that properties were demolished in Uttar Pradesh and we condemn any instances of discrimination because of religion or belief, regardless of the country or faith involved. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level. The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions will continue to follow these reports closely, while recognising that this is a matter for India. The Foreign Secretary speaks regularly with her Indian counterpart and visited India most recently in March 2022.
Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with major supermarkets on covid-19 and on specific opening hours for (a) over 70s, (b) parents of children with severe asthma, (c) cystic fibrosis and (d) other vulnerable groups.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We are working closely across Government, with representatives of the food supply chain and with local authorities and charities to ensure that everyone including the elderly and vulnerable groups such as those with severe health conditions will have continued access to food.
We are in close contact with representatives across the food supply chain and civil society to discuss further ways to help with their preparations. Supermarkets are recruiting more staff, prioritising delivery slots for those who need them most, and limiting shopping hours so they have more time to restock. They are working hard to deliver a crucial service to us all and have also issued a rallying call for everyone to play their part in the national effort to this response by looking out for their friends, family and neighbours. We will continue to work with industry to discuss any additional support the Government can provide. Retailers are prioritising delivery slots for those who need them most.
The Government is working to ensure that up to 1.5 million people in England identified by the NHS as being at higher risk of severe illness if they contract Coronavirus will have access to the food they need. A new Local Support System will make sure those individuals self-isolating at home and who are without a support network of friends and family will receive basic groceries. The Government is working with a partnership of the groceries industry, local government, local resilience forums and emergency partners, and voluntary groups, to ensure that essential items can start to be delivered as soon as possible to those who need it.
Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has for the care of children of NHS workers and Public Health England workers if they are (a) incapacitated due to illness and (b) hospitalised.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The NHS England has recently published in-depth guidance covering a range of scenarios for National Health Service and Public Health England workers, which will be updated as the situation develops, which can be found at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/
NHS England has written to all colleagues recently and a copy of the letter is available at the following link:
Support for NHS and PHE workers is a high priority for the Government, and it will continually assess the measures required to support them fully.
Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, what discussions the Government has had with local authorities on emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
My Department is working closely with local authorities and the sector to minimise the risk for vulnerable people and those currently unable to self-isolate.
Government officials are in discussion with domestic abuse service providers who are undertaking their own contingency planning, in line with advice from Public Health England, to keep safe accommodation support services open and available to victims of domestic abuse and their children.
£1.6 billion of the £5 billion Covid-19 fund announced in the Budget will go to local authorities to help them respond to Covid-19 pressures across all the services they deliver. This includes increasing support for services helping the most vulnerable.
Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on Government financial support for local authorities to tackle covid-19.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Local authorities have a vital role to play in protecting and supporting their communities during the Covid-19 outbreak.
My Department is in regular contact with the sector about the support they are offering communities. Already the Government is supporting individuals by extending sick pay for those advised to self-isolate and making it easier for them to access benefits. For businesses, we are increasing business rates relief, introducing a new guarantee loan scheme, and developing more bespoke arrangements for firms to repay outstanding tax liabilities.
Asked by: John Cryer (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he is having with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) the Bank of England and (c) representatives of mortgage companies on suspension of mortgage payments for people affected by covid-19; and whether benefits from such suspensions will be passed on to renters.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Banks and building societies are ready and able to support consumers impacted by COVID-19. On 17 March, the Chancellor announced on behalf of the sector that banks and building societies will offer a 3-month ‘mortgage holiday’ for borrowers that are financially struggling with their repayments. This forbearance measure will enable affected borrowers to defer their mortgage payments for up to 3 months while they get back on their feet. Customers who are concerned about the current financial situation should get in touch with their lender at the earliest possible opportunity.
Lenders have also agreed to a 3 month moratorium on residential and buy-to-let possession action to start immediately to provide customers with reassurance that they will not have their homes repossessed at this difficult time.
The benefits system is ready to assist renters with their housing costs if they find their incomes disrupted by COVID-19.
Following urgent discussions with the banking industry, the mortgage payment holiday of up to 3 months announced on 17 March will be extended to landlords whose tenants are experiencing difficulty due to COVID-19.
The government has announced that to further protect renters, emergency legislation will be taken forward as an urgent priority so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least a 3 month period. At the end of this period, landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account the tenant’s individual circumstances.