Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether accountants can submit applications to the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme on behalf of their self-employed clients.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The claims process for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme is easy and straightforward. HMRC are doing all of the calculations, and taxpayers will only need their National Insurance number, Unique Tax Reference (UTR) number, online log-in details, and bank account details to apply for the grant. Accountants, tax agents or advisers cannot make claims on behalf of their clients. Designing a scheme that enabled agents to do this would have taken significantly longer to deliver, at a time when speed is a priority. Accountants, tax agents and advisers can help their clients by ensuring clients are aware they may be eligible; helping clients to find the details they need; using the online eligibility checker on their clients’ behalf (or supporting them to use the checker themselves); and explaining why they may or may not be eligible, and what other support is available to them.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in his Department have formal arrangements to work from home during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
In response to the Prime Minister’s statement on 16 March, the Civil Service moved to remote working by default, where possible to do so. While some staff have formal home working arrangements under HM Treasury’s Flexible Working provisions, all staff are currently required to work from home to support the government measures in limiting the spread of covid-19. On the very rare occasions where it is not possible for Treasury employees to work from home they may work from the office with the permission of their Director.
On average the department has less than 1% of its workforce physically attending the workplace during lockdown period.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to accept contracts of employment as supporting evidence for applications to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is open to any individual who was on an employer’s PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. Processing claims for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme where HMRC do not have RTI data by 19 March would require much greater manual handling by HMRC, which would substantially slow down the system while risking substantial levels of fraud. It would also require greater resource for HMRC when they are already under significant pressure to deliver the system designed. Those not eligible for the scheme may be able to access other support the Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three months’ mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the guidance issued to private nurseries on furloughing employees during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Scottish Government has been closely involved in the UK response to COVID-19. Treasury ministers and officials are in close contact with their Scottish counterparts regarding the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).
Although the CJRS is UK-wide, the Department for Education’s guidance relating to the CJRS applies to England only. Department for Education officials have discussed COVID-19 guidance with their Scottish counterparts and continue to work with them on matters relating to COVID-19.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of the (a) effectiveness of the Scottish Government's Debt Arrangement Scheme and (b) potential merits of introducing a similar scheme elsewhere in the UK.
Answered by Simon Kirby
In its response to the Independent Review of the Money Advice Service (March 2015), the coalition government agreed to review the legal framework for debt administration, and to consider the impacts of additional statutory protections for consumers. The work on this review is ongoing. The government intends to report back shortly.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made representations to the Clydesdale Bank after that Bank's announcement of 18 January 2017 to close 40 branches in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Simon Kirby
Decisions on the opening and closing of individual bank branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government. Banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition and other commercial factors when considering their strategy.
The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking Protocol and Professor Russel Griggs’ recently published review evaluating the operation of the Protocol to date. The Government is pleased to see that the industry is committing to further improvements to protect those affected by bank branch closures.
Alternative banking services are also available at the Post Office. A new agreement with UK banks, announced on 24 January, means that more individuals and businesses can use 11,600 local Post Office branches to access a wider range of banking services.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's policy paper, entitled Soft Drinks Industry Levy, published on 5 December 2016, what the alternative levy free options are for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes affected by the proposed soft drinks industry levy.
Answered by Jane Ellison
There will continue to be levy free alternatives available, such as fruit juice and glucose tablets. The Government has also exempted Foods for Specific Groups from the levy, which ensures that certain foods for medicinal purposes will remain levy free.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department will publish further information on the steps he plans to take to implement the undertaking contained in paragraph 4.50 of Autumn Statement 2016 to tackle exploitation of the VAT relief on adapted cars for wheelchair users.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Draft legislation, the explanatory note and the tax information and impact note was issued on Monday 5th December as part of the usual Autumn Statement process. These can be found at the following links: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/574680/newbook_book.pdf (clause 43); https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/574679/Explanatory_Notes_-_draft_provisions.pdf (clause 43 and Schedule 14); and, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/finance-bill-2017-draft-legislation-overview-documents/overview-of-legislation-in-draft (section 4.3) respectively.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/finance-bill-2017-draft-legislation-overview-documents/overview-of-legislation-in-draft
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of participants in the Employee Shareholder Status scheme in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Details of the number of employees receiving Employee Shareholder Status shares in the tax year 2013 to 2014, the latest year for which data is available, are in Table 14.9 contained in the Capital Gains Tax Statistics published on Gov.uk - www.gov.uk/government/statistics/capital-gains-tax-statistics. Breakdown by geographical areas is not available.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints HM Revenue and Customs has received about Concentrix from residents in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency since that company has been under contract with his Department.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold the data broken down specifically by constituency areas. HMRC is currently focused on resolving the outstanding cases but will be preparing regional analysis, which will be available in due course.