Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference the Equality and Human Rights Commission's report, Disability Report: Being disabled in Britain, published in April 2017, if he will make an assessment of the effect on disabled people of the Government's fiscal policies since 2010.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The government carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics, in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness. The government supports people with disabilities through both the welfare system and through public services. We spend over £50bn on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions which accounts for over 6% of Government spending. Spending on disability benefits will be higher every year to 2022 than in 2010.
Since 2010, the Treasury has regularly published cumulative analysis of the impacts of tax, welfare and public spending policies on households according to their income. However, this analysis has not been produced specifically for those with disabilities as the full impacts on these households of all public spending such as on health, transport and other non-financial support cannot be reliably modelled with the data which is currently available.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the household finances of families with young children of closing the childcare voucher scheme to new entrants from 4 October 2018; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
This Government is committed to supporting families and we will be spending around £6 billion every year by 2020 in childcare support – more than ever before.
Tax-free Childcare, unlike vouchers, helps parents with higher childcare costs more, which is usually those with younger children. Therefore the transition is likely to have a positive effect on parents with younger children. This is because Tax-Free Childcare is paid per child rather than per parent and provides up to £2,000 in government support per child.
Childcare vouchers closed to new applicants only in October 2018. There is no impact on parents already using childcare vouchers, who will be able to continue using vouchers as long as they work for the same employer and their employer continues to offer them.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect the 2019 Loan Charge on the NHS.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The charge on disguised remuneration (DR) loans is targeted at artificial tax avoidance schemes where earnings were paid in the form of non-repayable loans, often made by an offshore third party.
It is unfair to ordinary taxpayers to let anybody continue to benefit from contrived tax avoidance of this sort, and that is why this government has taken action to ensure that everybody pays the taxes they owe.
As the charge on DR loans is specifically targeted at these contrived tax avoidance schemes it is not expected to have a significant effect on the NHS.
For more information please see the issue briefing, published in July 2018: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-issue-briefing-disguised-remuneration-charge-on-loans
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the VAT loss to the public purse of the use of direct engagement models for agency health workers in the NHS.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Where agency health workers are directly engaged by the Trusts, then VAT is due on the introductory fee charged by the agency.
HMRC review the VAT position of all taxpayers, including NHS trusts, to help ensure that VAT is collected where it is due.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what performance indicators HMRC has in respect of its customer service.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) single departmental plan lays out its objectives and how it will achieve them. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-revenue-and-customs-single-departmental-plan/single-departmental-plan
Furthermore, its detailed customer service performance indicators are published monthly on the GOV.UK website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports
These monthly reports shows how HMRC has done against its key customer service performance objectives.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential (a) financial risk and (b) financial savings of relocating the HMRC offices in East Kilbride as part of the digitisation process.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC has a variety of ways to support staff as it moves to regional centres including face to face announcements, a formal one to one process between staff and their managers, regional communications, regional engagement group meetings and regional forums. These are tailored to specific locations and audiences including those in East Kilbride.
HMRC has regular discussions with the trade unions at local and national levels about the relocation to regional centres, including the moves of staff from East Kilbride to Glasgow, and it will continue to engage with them as it implements its plans. Both unions are invited to local Regional Engagement Group meetings.
HMRC is retaining Queensway House, East Kilbride, as a transitional site until 2025-26. It will work with all affected groups, such as staff, unions, local councils and stakeholders across the west of Scotland to implement its strategy in the lead up to the withdrawal from East Kilbride.
HMRC’s Programme Business Case for the ten-year period to 2025-26 has been reviewed by the Major Projects Review Group and was approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in July 2017. HMRC’s location strategy will result in savings of more than £300 million up to 2025. The Programme will also deliver annual cash savings (compared to 2015-16 costs) of £74 million in 2025-26, rising to around £90 million by 2028.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions his Department have had with (a) HMRC staff, (b) local trade union representatives and (c) the local community on the potential relocation of the East Kilbride HMRC office.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC has a variety of ways to support staff as it moves to regional centres including face to face announcements, a formal one to one process between staff and their managers, regional communications, regional engagement group meetings and regional forums. These are tailored to specific locations and audiences including those in East Kilbride.
HMRC has regular discussions with the trade unions at local and national levels about the relocation to regional centres, including the moves of staff from East Kilbride to Glasgow, and it will continue to engage with them as it implements its plans. Both unions are invited to local Regional Engagement Group meetings.
HMRC is retaining Queensway House, East Kilbride, as a transitional site until 2025-26. It will work with all affected groups, such as staff, unions, local councils and stakeholders across the west of Scotland to implement its strategy in the lead up to the withdrawal from East Kilbride.
HMRC’s Programme Business Case for the ten-year period to 2025-26 has been reviewed by the Major Projects Review Group and was approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in July 2017. HMRC’s location strategy will result in savings of more than £300 million up to 2025. The Programme will also deliver annual cash savings (compared to 2015-16 costs) of £74 million in 2025-26, rising to around £90 million by 2028.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that financial lenders provide appropriate support to customers experiencing mental health difficulties.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government is committed to building an economy that works for everyone, including those experiencing mental health difficulties.
The Regulation of consumer credit is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The government has given the FCA strong powers to protect consumers. It requires all lenders to treat customers fairly, and to establish appropriate policies for dealing with vulnerable customers, including those with mental health difficulties.
We have passed the honourable lady’s question on to the FCA, who will reply directly to her by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether all banks and financial service firms are required to have a written policy on domestic abuse.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Treasury has not issued guidance. The independent financial services regulator - the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - requires firms to treat their customers fairly and has broad and robust powers to enforce breaches of its rules.
Confirmed Industry Guidance for the FCA’s Banking Conduct of Business Sourcebook sets out what information firms must provide to customers when they open a joint account, including an explanation of a customer’s rights and duties and the concept of joint and several liability. UK Finance and the Building Societies Association also publish an information leaflet for those considering opening a joint account.
The Government wants to ensure that all victims of domestic abuse are provided with the support they need. The Government will shortly be launching a consultation into tackling domestic abuse, in advance of bringing forward legislation, and I encourage the hon. Member to engage with the consultation when it is published.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance his Department issued to (a) banks and (b) the financial service sector on responding to cases has of domestic abuse in which the perpetrator and victim have a joint bank accounts.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Treasury has not issued guidance. The independent financial services regulator - the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - requires firms to treat their customers fairly and has broad and robust powers to enforce breaches of its rules.
Confirmed Industry Guidance for the FCA’s Banking Conduct of Business Sourcebook sets out what information firms must provide to customers when they open a joint account, including an explanation of a customer’s rights and duties and the concept of joint and several liability. UK Finance and the Building Societies Association also publish an information leaflet for those considering opening a joint account.
The Government wants to ensure that all victims of domestic abuse are provided with the support they need. The Government will shortly be launching a consultation into tackling domestic abuse, in advance of bringing forward legislation, and I encourage the hon. Member to engage with the consultation when it is published.