Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by what mechanism he proposes to ensure that additional business rate revenue in the North East is allocated to infrastructure investment.
Answered by Greg Hands
On 23 October the Government signed a historic devolution deal with the North East Combined Authority. As part of the deal, and subject to the passage of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill through parliament, a new directly-elected Mayor for the North East will be created. The Mayor will chair the existing North East Combined Authority. Powers and responsibilities will be devolved from central government to the Mayor and Combined Authority.
Full details of the deal are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-east-devolution-deal
A detailed implementation plan will be agreed over the coming months between central government and the North East Combined Authority.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what new mechanism he proposes to stimulate rural growth in the North East.
Answered by Greg Hands
On 23 October the Government signed a historic devolution deal with the North East Combined Authority. As part of the deal, and subject to the passage of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill through parliament, a new directly-elected Mayor for the North East will be created. The Mayor will chair the existing North East Combined Authority. Powers and responsibilities will be devolved from central government to the Mayor and Combined Authority.
Full details of the deal are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-east-devolution-deal
A detailed implementation plan will be agreed over the coming months between central government and the North East Combined Authority.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what responsibilities are proposed for the (a) elected mayor, (b) North East Combined Authority and (c) North East local enterprise partnership in overseeing the adult skills budget for the North East.
Answered by Greg Hands
On 23 October the Government signed a historic devolution deal with the North East Combined Authority. As part of the deal, and subject to the passage of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill through parliament, a new directly-elected Mayor for the North East will be created. The Mayor will chair the existing North East Combined Authority. Powers and responsibilities will be devolved from central government to the Mayor and Combined Authority.
Full details of the deal are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-east-devolution-deal
A detailed implementation plan will be agreed over the coming months between central government and the North East Combined Authority.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what governance and accountability arrangements are proposed for the North East Investment Fund.
Answered by Greg Hands
On 23 October the Government signed a historic devolution deal with the North East Combined Authority. As part of the deal, and subject to the passage of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill through parliament, a new directly-elected Mayor for the North East will be created. The Mayor will chair the existing North East Combined Authority. Powers and responsibilities will be devolved from central government to the Mayor and Combined Authority.
Full details of the deal are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-east-devolution-deal
A detailed implementation plan will be agreed over the coming months between central government and the North East Combined Authority.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the proposed membership is of the skills board for the North East overseeing a comprehensive review of post-16 education, skills and employment.
Answered by Greg Hands
On 23 October the Government signed a historic devolution deal with the North East Combined Authority. As part of the deal, and subject to the passage of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill through parliament, a new directly-elected Mayor for the North East will be created. The Mayor will chair the existing North East Combined Authority. Powers and responsibilities will be devolved from central government to the Mayor and Combined Authority.
Full details of the deal are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-east-devolution-deal
A detailed implementation plan will be agreed over the coming months between central government and the North East Combined Authority.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the prevalence of undervaluing properties for sale; and what steps he is taking to tackle tax avoidance arising from practice.
Answered by David Gauke
The market value of a property can be relevant to tax liability. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will target such cases for enquiry to ensure that tax is not understated. HMRC works with expert valuers in the Valuation Office Agency where valuation is disputed.
In most cases, undervaluation of a property will be a mistake by the taxpayer or, in some cases, evasion. HMRC already has the powers needed to tackle such misdeclarations. At the July Budget, this Government announced additional investment in HMRC to tackle non-compliance.
Asked by: Nicholas Brown (Independent - Newcastle upon Tyne East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the positive economic benefits of lower fuel prices caused by the fuel duty freeze.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs published research analysing the dynamic effects of fuel duty reductions in a joint report in April 2014. This research can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-the-dynamic-effects-of-fuel-duty-reductions.