Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to ensure that households in Northern Ireland will be able to receive the £400 energy bill discount of in October 2022.
Answered by Simon Clarke
As I have set out , the UK Government is urgently working to ensure the people of Northern Ireland receive the equivalent of the 26 May Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) expansion announcement as soon as possible.
The UK Government is working at pace to identify a route to deliver support and to set out the details linked to this commitment.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the apprenticeship levy on businesses in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Simon Clarke
Firms across the UK pay the Apprenticeship Levy on the same basis. Further details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pay-apprenticeship-levy.
Skills policy, including apprenticeships, is devolved, making it the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.
As agreed at Spending Review 2021, the Northern Ireland Executive will receive £15 billion per year in funding which can be used in devolved areas, including supporting apprenticeships. These annual block grants are the largest, in real terms, of any spending review settlement since the devolution Acts in 1998.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the relationship between investment in education and long-term financial returns to the public purse.
Answered by Steve Barclay
The Chancellor regularly considers a range of evidence when taking decisions, including considerations on the long-term returns to the taxpayer from investment in education.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer on 11 January 2021 to Question 133991 on the Self-employment Income Support Scheme, what plans he has to include newly self-employed people who file a tax return for the 2019-20 financial year in the fourth grant of that scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government recognises that taxpayers have faced immense challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and it has prioritised delivering support to as many people as possible while guarding against the risk of fraud or abuse.
The first Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant supported 2.7 million individuals with claims totalling £7.8 billion. A further £5.9 billion has been claimed through the second and, as of 13 December, £4.8 billion through the third SEISS grant.
The fourth grant will cover February to April 2021. The Government will set out further details in due course. The Government has taken a flexible and responsive approach and it will continue to look for ways to improve the SEISS grant and existing support.
The SEISS continues to be just one element of a substantial package of support for the self-employed which includes Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove and Portslade)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the eligibility criteria for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to provide greater coverage during the January 2021 ovid-19 lockdown period.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Throughout the crisis, the Government’s priority has been to protect lives and livelihoods. The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) was designed to target support at those who most need it, while protecting the Exchequer against error, fraud, and abuse.
The Government has taken a flexible and responsive approach and will continue to consider the matter carefully and work closely with stakeholders to explore how it can best support different groups.
Moreover, the SEISS continues to be just one element of a substantial package of support for the self-employed. Those ineligible for the SEISS may still be eligible for other elements of the support available. The Universal Credit standard allowance has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 and the Minimum Income Floor relaxed for the duration of the crisis, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may also have access to other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments, and other business support grants.