Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people resident in the European Economic Area claimed Child Benefit in each year since 2020.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The information is only available at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people living in Switzerland claimed Guardian's Allowance in each year since 2020.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The information is only available at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people living in Switzerland claimed Child Benefit in each year since 2020.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The information is only available at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many apprenticeships HM Revenue and Customs has offered since 2010, by year.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has made use of apprentices since 2013.
This table shows the number of apprenticeships that have been offered and started in HMRC since 2010. It equates to 13,394 apprenticeships over 15 years.
Financial Year | Apprentices starting an Apprenticeship |
2010/11 | 0 |
2011/12 | 0 |
2012/13 | 0 |
2013/14 | 57 |
2014/15 | 0 |
2015/16 | 46 |
2016/17 | 869 |
2017/18 | 1188 |
2018/19 | 3533 |
2019/20 | 3646 |
2020/21 | 1876 |
2021/22 | 522 |
2022/23 | 589 |
2023/24 | 764 |
2024/25 | 304 |
In October 2023, HMRC launched a new strategy to embed apprenticeships across the Department. Since then, outcomes have improved, with successful completions increasing from 43% in 2022 to over 74% now.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the National Infrastructure Commission has offered apprenticeships in each year since it was set up.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Since its inception, the National Infrastructure Commission has successfully trained and developed a number of apprentices. As a small organisation, the number of apprentices trained and developed has been determined by business needs, balanced against obligations.
On 1st April 2025, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) merged to become the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). NISTA is a unit of HM Treasury, reporting to both HM Treasury and Cabinet Office.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support small businesses impacted by a reduction in (a) local bank branches and (b) in-person banking services in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, businesses and high streets in the South Holland and Deepings constituency and across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 220 hubs have been announced so far, and over 135 are already open.
Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to tackle cryptocurrency fraud.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Fraud is the most common crime in the UK and the Government takes this issue very seriously. That is why we are committed to updating and expanding the UK fraud strategy to tackle the full range of threats. We are working with law enforcement and industry to reduce fraud and better protect the public and businesses from this devastating crime.
Further, the Financial Conduct Authority commenced enforcement of the cryptoassets financial promotion regime in October 2023. This requires firms to ensure that promotions for cryptoasset products and services are fair, clear and not misleading; meaning cryptoasset promotions are now held to the same standards financial services products with similar risk.
The Government is also proceeding to introduce a comprehensive UK financial services regulatory regime for cryptoassets, and intends to bring forward legislation for this as soon as possible this year.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the amount of money lost by people in the UK to cryptocurrency fraud since 2019.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Financial Conduct Authority’s most recent consumer research publication provides indications of the levels of cryptoasset related fraud in the UK. This research is available online at: https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/research-notes/cryptoasset-consumer-research-2024-wave-5.pdf.
The Government take these fraud risks very seriously, and that is why it is proceeding with proposals to introduce a comprehensive UK financial services regulatory regime for cryptoassets.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has banned the use of DeepSeek.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has a robust set of security policies in place to oversee how information is handled, within our buildings, on our IT, and by our staff.We keep these policies under constant review to ensure they are applicable to new technologies.
The AI Playbook for the UK Government outlines that only corporately assured Generative AI tools should be used to process HMG information. Everyone who works in government has a duty of confidentiality and a responsibility to safeguard any government information or data that they process, access or share, and all government departments are required to meet a range of mandatory security standards.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses in South Holland and the Deepings constituency applied to use the Enterprise Investment Scheme in each of the last ten years.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The information cannot be provided as it could lead to a breach of taxpayer’s confidentiality.