Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has a policy on hours between which lights should be turned off at the HMRC offices at Unity Square, Nottingham.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The lights in Unity Square are fitted with sensors which are motion activated and, under normal daytime operation, the lights are triggered by low light levels and people movement.
As part of the normal process of delivering a new building and ensuring it is operating effectively and efficiently, HMRC is working to address issues with the way the lighting system in Unity Square is currently programmed which are leading to lights being switched on for longer periods than expected. It has had contractors on site this week to fix this and has reported an improvement, with more work to take place shortly. HMRC will be carefully monitoring whether the changes implemented have been effective.
Once fully implemented, we expect the length of time the lights remain on after the last detected movement will be reduced from 30 minutes to 10 minutes. In addition, after 8:15pm, the lights will be switched off with activation after that time only if movement is detected and will remain on for 5 minutes. HMRC is also reviewing out of hours operating procedures to further reduce energy usage.
Since April 2022, when Unity Square opened, monthly electricity expenditure for the building, including lighting, is as follows.
Apr-2022 | £87,488.78 |
May-2022 | £79,107.16 |
Jun-2022 | £86,343.35 |
Jul-2022 | £106,209.28 |
Aug-2022 | £113,345.46 |
Sep-2022 | £85,311.17 |
HMRC’s core hours are 7am until 8pm. Since 1st October 2022 the average number of HMRC staff in the building between 9pm and 6am is 4. Unity Square is a Government Hub and HMRC shares the building with 5 other Government departments. Additionally, there are varying numbers of contractors on site.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has in 2021 to publish benefit in kind tax rates beyond the financial year 2024-25.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Company car tax appropriate percentages beyond 2024-25 remain under review and will be announced at future fiscal events. The Government aims to announce appropriate percentages at least two years ahead of implementation to provide certainty for employers, employees and fleet operators.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on appointing a public transport representative to the Build Back Better Council.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
All members of the Build Back Better Business Council were appointed by the Prime Minister in an individual capacity in January 2021. The Council is co-chaired by the Prime Minister and Chancellor, with the Business Secretary as a standing member, and other Cabinet Ministers attending as required. Members have been selected to bring together a broad range of business leaders from across the whole British economy to work in partnership with the government to unlock investment, boost job creation, promote Global Britain and level up the whole of the UK. The terms of reference will be published on Gov.uk. This council is in addition to the regular and ongoing engagement with the transport sector across Downing Street and other Government departments. The Public Transport sector and related bodies are important stakeholders and continue to feed into work across Government on economic recovery and future growth.Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will appoint a representative from public transport to the Build Back Better Council.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
All members of the Build Back Better Business Council were appointed by the Prime Minister in an individual capacity in January 2021. The Council is co-chaired by the Prime Minister and Chancellor, with the Business Secretary as a standing member, and other Cabinet Ministers attending as required. Members have been selected to bring together a broad range of business leaders from across the whole British economy to work in partnership with the government to unlock investment, boost job creation, promote Global Britain and level up the whole of the UK. The terms of reference will be published on Gov.uk. This council is in addition to the regular and ongoing engagement with the transport sector across Downing Street and other Government departments. The Public Transport sector and related bodies are important stakeholders and continue to feed into work across Government on economic recovery and future growth.Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the criteria by which members of the Build Back Better Council were appointed.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
All members of the Build Back Better Business Council were appointed by the Prime Minister in an individual capacity in January 2021. The Council is co-chaired by the Prime Minister and Chancellor, with the Business Secretary as a standing member, and other Cabinet Ministers attending as required. Members have been selected to bring together a broad range of business leaders from across the whole British economy to work in partnership with the government to unlock investment, boost job creation, promote Global Britain and level up the whole of the UK. The terms of reference will be published on Gov.uk. This council is in addition to the regular and ongoing engagement with the transport sector across Downing Street and other Government departments. The Public Transport sector and related bodies are important stakeholders and continue to feed into work across Government on economic recovery and future growth.Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral contribution of 25 November 2020, Official Report column 828, on public sector workers who earn below the median wage of £24,000 being guaranteed a pay rise of at least £250, whether that £250 award will be consolidated or non-consolidated.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The recommended £250 pay award provided to public sector workers earning less than £24,000 on a full-time equivalent basis will be consolidated.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether public sector workers who are clinically extremely vulnerable, and who cannot work from home, are eligible to be furloughed under the extended Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Where employers receive public funding for staff costs, and that funding is continuing, the Government expects employers to use that money to continue to pay staff in the usual fashion, and correspondingly not to furlough them through the CJRS. In a small number of cases, for example where organisations are not primarily funded by the Government and whose staff cannot be redeployed to assist with the coronavirus response, the extended CJRS may be appropriate for some staff.
BEIS Safer Workplaces guidance advises that workers who can work effectively from home should do so over the winter. Specific to clinically extremely vulnerable workers, the guidance also outlines steps employers can take to suit their and their employees’ unique circumstances, including changing roles or adjusting work patterns. Employers can be furloughed under the CJRS when they are unable to work because they are shielding in line with public health guidance.
Furthermore, the Government has ensured that employees who were on an employer’s PAYE payroll before 31 October 2020 can be claimed for under the CJRS extension. Therefore, those who started work after the initial CJRS began and are required to shield will be supported. In cases where their employer chooses not to furlough them under the CJRS and does not have other suitable policies in place, Statutory Sick Pay is available as a safety net.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on extending the uplift to universal credit beyond April 2021.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The temporary £20 per week increase to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits was introduced specifically to provide support to those who have seen their income fall as a result of the pandemic. This is just one part of a wide-ranging package of support the Government has provided to protect people's jobs and incomes. We are continuing to respond to the economic situation as it evolves and are keeping all measures under review.
Making the £20 per week increase permanent would require a substantial ongoing increase in borrowing or tax rises, with 2020-21 spending on working-age benefits set to be the highest since records began as a share of national income.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to implement the mechanisms of financial support for small businesses announced in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Officials are working at pace to deliver the measures for small businesses as announced by the Chancellor. The Covid-19 Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which will provide financing facilities for SMEs of up to £5 million, launched today (Monday 23rd March). The Small Business and Retail grants will be made available by local authorities in coming weeks - with extra resources being provided to them to help deal with the administration of such grant schemes. These measures are part of a wider, unprecedented package of support for businesses and workers to ensure as best we can that people remain employed and firms financially secure.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many responses his Department received to its consultation on restricting exit payments in the public sector.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The consultation received over 580 responses. We are currently analysing these and will produce a government response in due course.