Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the House of Lords Select Committee on Financial Exclusion's report entitled Tackling financial exclusion: A country that works for everyone?, published on 25 March 2017, Session 2016-17, HL Paper 132, what progress she has made on implementing the (a) recommendations on (i) older and (ii) vulnerable consumers and (b) other recommendations.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has committed to publish a National Financial Inclusion Strategy later this year to tackle a range of barriers individuals and households face in accessing the financial products and services they need. The strategy will consider what more Government and industry can do to address key issues, including a focus on: (i) digital inclusion and access to banking; (ii) savings; (iii) insurance; (iv) affordable credit; (v) problem debt; and (vi) financial education and capability.
Across these areas, the themes of accessibility, mental health, and economic abuse have also been considered in recognition of the particular challenges individuals can face in relation to these issues.
More widely, the Government works closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of the UK’s financial services sector, to ensure customers get the right support with their financial products and services. The FCA’s Vulnerability Guidance requires firms to consider the needs of vulnerable customers appropriately.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that people without access to digital payment options (a) can to pay for goods and services in their local communities in cash and (b) are supported to get online when they need to.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
While the ongoing trend in payments in the UK has been away from cash and towards card and digital payment methods, the Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules ensure cash continues to be a viable method of payment for the millions of people who depend on it by providing reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal accounts.
There is no legal requirement for businesses to accept specific forms of payment, and the Government has no plans to mandate cash acceptance. It is for each business to decide on the forms of payment it chooses to accept, based on a variety of factors, including cost and customer preferences. However, the FCA’s access to cash regime will ensure that businesses have reasonable access to cash deposit facilities, which supports their ability to accept cash.
More widely, the Government has committed to publish a National Financial Inclusion Strategy later this year to tackle a range of barriers individuals face in accessing the financial products they need, including a focus on access to banking and digital inclusion.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will restore the Official Development Assistance budget to 0.7% of gross national income.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
This Government is committed to restoring ODA spending at the level of 0.7 per cent of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow. The Government will set out its approach to the House in due course.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will have discussions with the Association of British Insurers on reducing insurance premiums for households.
Answered by Bim Afolami
Treasury Ministers and officials have regular meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors on an ongoing basis.
Insurers make decisions about the terms on which they will offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks. The Government does not intend to intervene in these commercial decisions as this could damage competition in the market.
However, the Government is determined that insurers should treat customers fairly. The Financial Conduct Authority requires firms to ensure their products offer fair value (i.e. if the price a consumer pays for a product or service is reasonable compared to the overall benefits they can expect to receive). The FCA has been clear that it will be monitoring firms to ensure they are providing products that are fair value, and, where necessary, it will take action.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing Draught Duty Relief to 20% on (a) pubs and (b) small and independent brewers.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Draught Relief, introduced under the new alcohol duty system, provides a reduction in the duty on draught products and helps to level the playing field between pubs and supermarkets, allowing pubs and brewers to price their on-trade products more competitively. The Brexit Pubs Guarantee ensures that draught products will always be subject to lower duty than their supermarket equivalent.
The Government is closely monitoring the impact of the recent reforms, including Draught Relief, and will evaluate the impact of the new rates and structures three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023. This will allow time to understand the impacts on the alcohol market, and for HMRC to gather useful and accurate data with which to evaluate the effects of the reform.
As with all taxes, the Government keeps the alcohol duty system under review during its yearly Budget process.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for licences the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation has received in each of the last five years.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) publishes the number of financial sanctions licences issued in its Annual Review. Information about the total number of licences and the total number of legal fees licences that OFSI has granted for the last five financial years can be found in OFSI’s Annual Review documents, which are publicly available on OFSI’s website. OFSI will publish the latest figures in the next Annual Review in due course. OFSI does not publish details about individual licences granted, including source and quantum of funds licensed.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation has issued licences for legal fees in each of the last five years.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) publishes the number of financial sanctions licences issued in its Annual Review. Information about the total number of licences and the total number of legal fees licences that OFSI has granted for the last five financial years can be found in OFSI’s Annual Review documents, which are publicly available on OFSI’s website. OFSI will publish the latest figures in the next Annual Review in due course. OFSI does not publish details about individual licences granted, including source and quantum of funds licensed.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many social media posts on the subject of tax avoidance were posted by HMRC in the last five years.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) does not hold this figure. However, in November 2020 HMRC launched the Tax Avoidance: Don’t Get Caught Out digital marketing campaign, warning the public of the risks of disguised remuneration marketed tax avoidance. Social media is used as part of the campaign to alert taxpayers to the risks of getting involved in tax avoidance.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) non-disclosure and (b) other confidentiality agreements relating to (i) employment, (ii) bullying, (iii) misconduct and (iii) harassment cases have been agreed by their Department in each year since 1 January 2010; and how much money from the public purse has been spent on (A) legal costs and (B) financial settlements for such agreements in each year since 1 January 2010.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
Where the number of complaints is fewer than five, we consider that to provide an exact category and figure, would constitute the disclosure of personal data. To this end, we are also withholding the financial value of the agreement. This would constitute an absolute exemption for personal data which falls to be dealt with under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Personal data of third parties can only be disclosed in accordance with the data protection principles. In particular, the first data protection principle requires that disclosure must be lawful and fair and must comply with one of the conditions in Article 6 of the GDPR. We do not think that it is fair to release this information and do not think that any of the relevant conditions apply.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the International Monetary Fund on the potential impact of surcharges on (a) Pakistan and (b) other countries that have experienced climate disasters.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government expresses deep concern and condolences for the severe humanitarian and economic impact of flooding in Pakistan. The UK recently announced an uplift in Pakistan flood relief funding, taking the total amount pledged to £16.5m. In addition, at COP26, the UK announced more than £55m of support to help Pakistan tackle climate change.
The IMF considers surcharges to be an important part of its risk management framework, strengthening the Fund’s balance sheet and reinforcing its ability to provide financial support to vulnerable countries, including Pakistan and other countries experiencing balance of payments vulnerabilities stemming from climate disasters.