Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.31 and Table 5.1 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC560, published on 6 March 2024, whether his Department has conducted an equality impact assessment for the vaping products duty.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government carefully considers the impact of decisions on those sharing protected characteristics in line with both our legal obligations and with this government’s strong commitment to promoting fairness. This was the case during the policy development process on the Vaping Product Duty
Whilst there is no legal requirement to publish Equalities Impact Assessments, the Treasury and HMRC publish Tax Information and Impact Notes for individual tax measures that include, in summary form, assessments of their expected equalities impacts. These are published when the policy is final or near final.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.45 and Table 5.1 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC560, published on 6 March 2024, whether his Department has conducted an equality impact assessment for the one-off adjustment to rates of air passenger duty on non-economy passengers.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
When developing policy, including at Spring Budget 2024, the Treasury carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing any of the nine protected characteristics, including sex, race, disability and age, in line with its statutory obligations and strong commitment to promoting fairness.
As with all taxes, the government keeps APD under review.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to exempt London weighting allowance payments from (a) income tax and (b) national insurance contributions.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
London weighting allowances are an additional wage supplement to people's incomes. They are therefore subject to NICs and income tax. Exempting London weighting allowances from income tax and NICs would increase the complexity of the tax system and be open to abuse.
The Government keeps all taxes under review.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average level of occupancy was at HM Revenue and Customs offices in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The latest data for HMRC’s headquarters occupancy is published on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-headquarters-occupancy-data)
HMRC is working closely with the Government Property Agency to ensure that the department’s estate is used efficiently, responding to demand for space in its regional centres. This will improve estates utilisation as well as bringing wider benefits.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting individuals from national insurance contributions if they choose not to access (a) social security services and (b) the NHS.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Insurance scheme operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, where today’s contributions pay for today’s benefits. The underpinning principle is not of an individual paying for their own benefits, but rather a system where those in work, employers and voluntary payers pool their resources to meet the claims of all of those who are eligible. Within the scheme, a person’s financial contributions reflect their ability to pay, rather than any likelihood of future entitlement. The proposal to exempt individuals from paying National Insurance contributions would run counter to this principle.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 196647 on Taxation: Disclosure of Information, how much His Majesty's Revenue and Customs spent on ex gratia payments to whistle-blowers in the 2022-2023 financial year.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
There are times when it is appropriate for HMRC to make payments to individuals in return for providing information that helps tackle tax avoidance and evasion.Such payments are discretionary and are based on the quality of the information provided, the extent and value to which the information contributed to HMRC assigned matters, and what is achieved as a result.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government Actuary's Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will coincide with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the UK Infrastructure Bank spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Further information on UKIB can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-infrastructure-bank-annual-report-and-accounts-2021-22. The next annual report will be published imminently.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the the Adjudicator’s Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.
The audit will coincide with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.
The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to recover funding awarded fraudulently through the Government's pandemic support schemes.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Our Covid-19 interventions helped millions of people and businesses through the worst effects of the pandemic. The Government prioritised getting money to those who needed it, with the schemes designed to minimise fraud while not unnecessarily delaying payments.
The Government has created the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), with £24.7 million of new funding in the current SR period to support public bodies and departments to better understand and reduce the impact of fraud.
The Government also invested over £100 million over two years in the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce to combat fraud in the HMRC support schemes. Up to the end of September, HMRC has recovered overpayments or prevented payments being made of claims worth over £1.6 billion. HMRC is still committed to the recovery of Covid-19 support scheme error and fraud.
The Government is also committed to bearing down on fraud in the Covid Loan Schemes. £13.2 million has been allocated to the National Investigation Service over three years to double their investigative capacity on Bounce Back Loans and fund enforcement activity. £10.9 million has been allocated to the British Business Bank over three years to boost their counter fraud and assurance programme.