Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 09 Jul 2019
Devolved Administrations: Borrowing Powers
"I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. I could not agree more. What I cannot understand is the clamour and constant push for powers from the SNP, who have been saying, “We want more powers; we need them.” We have the borrowing powers. We have the tax-varying powers. We …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 09 Jul 2019
Devolved Administrations: Borrowing Powers
"I wish SNP Members were here to say how they would meet those responsibilities. I will not speak on behalf of the Scottish Labour party or the Scottish Liberal Democrats, but we are parties who support and respect devolution. We are the parties who are trying to make devolution work …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 09 Jul 2019
Devolved Administrations: Borrowing Powers
"I would not be so bold as to speak on behalf of the SNP—I do not think the party would like it. I can theorise that the SNP has not prepared for some of those powers and is not ready for them. Looking at the recent Fraser of Allander Institute …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 09 Jul 2019
Devolved Administrations: Borrowing Powers
"It feels wrong to bash the SNP when its Members are not here to respond, but this is another clear example of the SNP putting the nationalist interest above the national interest. We could be using those powers to serve our constituents today, rather than deferring their use for years …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 09 Jul 2019
Devolved Administrations: Borrowing Powers
"That is exactly my point. It is one of the main reasons I wanted to have this debate. Again, it is one thing to criticise on social media, but another to write letters to a paper when it is a one-sided argument. I applied for this debate because I wanted …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 09 Jul 2019
Devolved Administrations: Borrowing Powers
"I could not agree more. The whole point of being an MP is that we put people before politics. I have certainly been critical of my Government on issues of spending—I know my hon. Friend has, too—and Members of the Opposition have certainly been critical about getting funding for Scotland, …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 09 Jul 2019
Devolved Administrations: Borrowing Powers
"The hon. Gentleman will have seen at first hand the impact of some of those cuts in his constituency, just as I have seen their impact on frontline services in mine. No Government are perfect and no party is perfect—I respect that—but the whole point of these debates is to …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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Written Question
Tuesday 14th May 2019
Asked by:
Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question
to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HMRC takes to verify the income of people liable for child maintenance payments.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are responsible for the assessment of Child Maintenance payments, including the verification of the absent parent’s income. Upon request from DWP, HMRC provide information held on their National Insurance and PAYE Service, or their Self-Assessment Service. The information is made available under a Memorandum of Understanding, and is for the latest completed tax year.
Written Question
Thursday 4th April 2019
Asked by:
Luke Graham (Conservative - Ochil and South Perthshire)
Question
to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to change the law on the income threshold requirement for buy-to-let mortgages by (a) lowering the threshold and (b) removing the requirement for the threshold to be more than the rent from the let property.
Answered by John Glen
The independent Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) is responsible for the regulation of the underwriting of buy-to-let mortgages. Under the PRA’s Supervisory Statement of September 2016, firms are required to conduct: an interest coverage ratio test which compares expected rental income to the monthly interest cost of mortgage repayments; and/or an income affordability test. Lenders must also take into account future changes to interest rates over a minimum period of five years. The purpose of this is to prevent lenders taking excessive risk by ensuring that the borrowers have the ability to repay the loan.
Beyond the requirements set out in the regulations, decisions concerning how lenders assess mortgage applications are commercial decisions for banks and building societies. I hope you can appreciate that it would be inappropriate for the Government to intervene in these decisions.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 28 Mar 2019
Beer Taxation and Pubs
"My hon. Friend makes a good point about the whisky industry which the Government have supported so well by freezing the duty for the last two years. For a constituency such as mine, which has Diageo, Strathearn distillery and others, that provides vital support, domestically and with exports. Does he …..."Luke Graham - View Speech
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