Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that any underspend of the allocated Equitable Life compensation will be distributed amongst policyholders.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government allocated £1.5 billion to the Equitable Life Payment Scheme. Before it ceased operations in 2016, the Scheme issued £1.12 billion in tax-free payments to nearly 933,000 policyholders. The remainder of the £1.5 billion has been set aside for future payments to the With-Profits Annuitants. Further information is available in the Final Report on the Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equitable-life-payment-scheme-final-report).
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will instruct HMRC officials to work with their counterparts in the World Customs Organization’s Harmonized System Committee on the potential merits of reclassifying urine drainage bags as medical devices for import tariff purposes.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Covid-19 critical goods, which include Urine drainage bags, are currently subject to a 0 per cent rate of Customs duty until the end of 2023.
HMRC has reviewed the classification of urine drainage bags and consider the classification 3926 to be correct. This is in line with classification decisions previously issued by the World Customs Organization, which member countries are expected to follow.
Businesses who wish to make representations to reduce the UK import duty rate for these goods, or to make an application for a temporary suspension of import duties, may contact the Department for Business and Trade at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/duty-suspensions-and-tariff-quotas.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an estimate of the number and proportion of blind and partially sighted people who have faced digital exclusion with online banking in the latest period for which data is available; and whether his Department will take steps to help support people facing digital exclusion with online banking.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government does not make direct assessments of visually impaired consumers’ ability to access banking. However, The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) conducts a Financial Lives Survey, which provides a comprehensive insight into the finances of the adult UK population. The latest survey closed in June 2022 and its findings will be published in due course, and will include insights on the use and satisfaction levels of visually impaired consumers with mobile and online banking services.
Innovations in the market mean that banking in the UK is more accessible than ever before, with many firms offering services to make everyday banking easier for the visually impaired such as communications in Braille, talking ATMs, accessible cards and text relay services for online banking. Firms also have staff on hand in branches to help customers set-up online or mobile banking services, teach them how to use video banking services and, for those without access to digital devices, the sector has established initiatives to support customers by providing them with free tablet devices.
The FCA has also published guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, which includes physical disabilities such as blindness and visual impairment. The guidance explores, among other things, how firms can understand the needs of vulnerable customers and provide targeted services for this cohort. For the visually impaired, the FCA expects firms to offer appropriate modes of communication such as using Braille or audio. It also expects firms to take into account the needs of these customers when designing, developing and testing products and services.
In addition, like all service providers, banks and building societies are bound under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, where necessary, in the way they deliver their services.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential challenges for blind and partially sighted people of (a) accessing and (b) managing their finances independently; and if his Department will take steps to help tackle these challenges.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Government does not make direct assessments of visually impaired consumers’ ability to access banking. However, The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) conducts a Financial Lives Survey, which provides a comprehensive insight into the finances of the adult UK population. The latest survey closed in June 2022 and its findings will be published in due course, and will include insights on the use and satisfaction levels of visually impaired consumers with mobile and online banking services.
Innovations in the market mean that banking in the UK is more accessible than ever before, with many firms offering services to make everyday banking easier for the visually impaired such as communications in Braille, talking ATMs, accessible cards and text relay services for online banking. Firms also have staff on hand in branches to help customers set-up online or mobile banking services, teach them how to use video banking services and, for those without access to digital devices, the sector has established initiatives to support customers by providing them with free tablet devices.
The FCA has also published guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, which includes physical disabilities such as blindness and visual impairment. The guidance explores, among other things, how firms can understand the needs of vulnerable customers and provide targeted services for this cohort. For the visually impaired, the FCA expects firms to offer appropriate modes of communication such as using Braille or audio. It also expects firms to take into account the needs of these customers when designing, developing and testing products and services.
In addition, like all service providers, banks and building societies are bound under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, where necessary, in the way they deliver their services.