Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families with children received the £20 per week uplift in Working Tax Credit basic element payments in the North East in each month since that uplift was introduced.
Answered by Steve Barclay
The latest available information on the number of families with children receiving Working Tax Credit at the English regional level is for April 2020. In April 2020, the number of families with children receiving Working Tax Credit in the North East was 40,200.
Information on following months is not readily available. The next update to this publication will provide statistics relating to December 2020 and will be available in January 2021.
Finalised annual information on families with children receiving Working Tax Credits is published once a year and updated each July.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families with children received the £20 per week uplift in Working Tax Credit basic element payments in Washington and Sunderland West constituency in each month since that uplift was introduced.
Answered by Steve Barclay
The latest available information on the number of families with children receiving Working Tax Credit at the English regional level is for April 2020. In April 2020, the number of families with children receiving Working Tax Credit in Washington and Sunderland West was 1,700.
Information on following months is not readily available. The next update to this publication will provide statistics relating to December 2020 and will be available in January 2021.
Finalised annual information on families with children receiving Working Tax Credits is published once a year and updated each July.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he is providing to Peer2Peer lending platforms.
Answered by John Glen
The Government monitors the peer-to-peer (P2P) lending sector on an ongoing basis and engages regularly with P2P platforms and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are responsible for the regulation of the sector.
The Government believes that P2P providers deliver innovative forms of finance for both consumers and business, and can provide healthy competition in the financial services market and, as such, is keen to see the sector continue to grow and evolve.
P2P platforms are eligible to access finance under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), where they can access loans up to £50 million under the latter, depending on the size of the platform. Under CLBILS, borrowers can apply for finance facilities, including overdrafts, of up to £25 million for businesses with a turnover between £45 million and £250 million, and up to £50 million to businesses with a turnover of over £250 million.
Those P2P platforms that facilitate loans to businesses can also apply to become accredited lenders under these schemes. More information on eligibility criteria and registering to become an accredited lender, can be found on the British Business Bank’s website here: https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/coronavirus-business-interruption-loan-scheme-cbils-2/become-a-cbils-accredited-lender/
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to review the purposes for which funds raised under the dormant assets scheme can be committed.
Answered by John Glen
As you may be aware, the Government recently launched a consultation on expanding the dormant assets scheme beyond bank and building society accounts to include a wider range of financial assets. That consultation set out the way that money from dormant assets is distributed, in line with the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008.
The Act specifies that funds in England must be used for causes related to youth, financial capability and inclusion, or social investment. The scheme’s focus on creating impact in these three areas was agreed through a public consultation at its inception. It enables the scheme to create a lasting legacy, driving systemic change to address entrenched social issues and protects this impact from being diluted.
The scheme is based on voluntary industry participation and enjoys widespread support from the banks and building societies who continue to contribute to it. The Government currently has no plans to change how the distribution of dormant assets funding functions. This includes the causes to which the funds are directed.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will create a community wealth fund dedicated to improving outcomes for the most deprived neighbourhoods over the long term into which all new assets listed under the proposed expanded dormant assets scheme must be paid.
Answered by John Glen
As you may be aware, the Government recently launched a consultation on expanding the dormant assets scheme beyond bank and building society accounts to include a wider range of financial assets. That consultation set out the way that money from dormant assets is distributed, in line with the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008.
The Act specifies that funds in England must be used for causes related to youth, financial capability and inclusion, or social investment. The scheme’s focus on creating impact in these three areas was agreed through a public consultation at its inception. It enables the scheme to create a lasting legacy, driving systemic change to address entrenched social issues and protects this impact from being diluted.
The scheme is based on voluntary industry participation and enjoys widespread support from the banks and building societies who continue to contribute to it. The Government currently has no plans to change how the distribution of dormant assets funding functions. This includes the causes to which the funds are directed.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on allocating parliamentary time for legislative proposals on dormant assets.
Answered by John Glen
As you may be aware, the Government recently launched a consultation on expanding the dormant assets scheme beyond bank and building society accounts to include a wider range of financial assets. The Government is committed to this expansion, unlocking substantial sums of unclaimed assets for good causes while maintaining and improving consumer protection.
It is right and proper that the feedback from this consultation shapes any future dormant assets legislation. The Government will engage with the Leader of the House on the introduction of this legislation when appropriate.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a tax on waste incineration.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
At Budget 2018, the Government announced that a tax on the incineration of waste would not be taken forward at that point. All taxes remain under review.
Asked by: Sharon Hodgson (Labour - Washington and Gateshead South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the soft drinks industry levy has been spent on since that levy was introduced.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The 2016 Budget announced funding for a number of programmes linked to the revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. The funding has been allocated to a number of programmes to support pupil health and wellbeing which include:
Doubling funding for the primary physical education and Sport Premium to £320 million a year from 2017.
Providing £100 million in 2018/19 for the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund.