Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2021 to Question 163295, what assessment he has made of the cost of his Department's (a) advertising and (b) video production previewing Budget 2021 in each of the last two months as a proportion of its in-house communications team's annual budget.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
All content for HM Treasury channels is produced by the department’s in-house communications team at no additional cost.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of his Department's (a) advertising and (b) video production previewing Budget 2021 in each of the last two months.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
All content created for Budget 2021 was produced by the department’s in house communications team at no additional cost.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Federation of Small Businesses January 2021 finding that 250,000 small businesses may go out of business in the next 12 months.
Answered by John Glen
The Government is aware of the FSB’s findings. We are committed to supporting small businesses and have put in place an unprecedented package of support, worth over £280 billion, which includes loans, tax deferrals, Business Rate reliefs, and general and sector-specific grants.
We will continue to take a flexible approach to ensure businesses are supported in coming months, even as measures to control the virus change.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2020 to Question 120993, how many people have been affected by the Loan Charge in Oxford West and Abingdon constituency.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government estimates that about 50,000 individuals are affected by the 2019 Loan Charge. Information is not held at constituency, borough or regional level.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have been affected by mis-selling schemes which are now subject to the Loan Charge in (a) Oxford West and Abingdon constituency and (b) the UK.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
While the Government empathises with anyone who believes they were misled into using a disguised remuneration (DR) scheme, it is an individual’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of their tax return and to understand the consequences of their decisions. It remains right that the Government takes action to tackle tax avoidance which is unfair to the vast majority of taxpayers who pay the correct tax.
The Government estimates that about 50,000 individuals are affected by the Loan Charge. The number who may feel they have been affected by mis-selling is not available.
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 extend the business rates holiday to the end of 2021.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government has taken the unprecedented step of providing over £10 billion in business rates relief this year for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
As announced at the Spending Review, to support businesses next year the Government will freeze the multiplier and has committed to announcing any decisions on future rate reliefs in the New Year.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of extending the Community Housing Fund on (a) business confidence and (b) local construction jobs in that sector.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government leads on the Community Housing Fund, and analysis of its impact. The Fund closed at the end of March this year, however community organisations that are registered as providers of social housing may seek capital funding from the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes programme operated outside London by Homes England.
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 make it his policy to expand the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to include self-employed people who are currently ineligible to receive financial support from that scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government has acknowledged that it has not been able to support everyone as they would want. The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has been a generous support to many and the Government has tried to target it at those who most need it.
The SEISS continues to be just one element of a comprehensive package of support for the self-employed. Those ineligible for the SEISS Grant Extension may still be eligible for other elements of the package of financial support available. The Universal Credit standard allowance has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 and the Minimum Income Floor relaxed for the duration of the crisis, meaning that where self-employed claimants' earnings have significantly fallen, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may also have access to Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.