Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time taken is by the Valuation Office Agency to assess new properties to give them a council tax band; and how many such cases have taken longer than three months in the last three years.
Answered by David Gauke
Most recent information from operational systems shows that between 01 March 2013 and 29 February 2016, the Valuation Office Agency took an average (mean) of 17.5 working days to update the Council Tax Valuation Lists for England and Wales with entries for new properties. Out of these, 23,599 cases (representing 5% of the total) took longer than 3 months (defined as 60 working days). Over 99% of all cases are resolved within the first 4 months.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the ease of opening bank accounts for small businesses.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has put in place a range of measures to support small businesses, including making it easier for them to find a bank that meets their needs. For example, the Business Banking Insight survey will help the UK's SMEs understand their options, make decisions about who they should bank with, and plan how they will finance their growth. It provides detailed information on what the UK's SMEs think about every aspect of their bank, and includes a ranking of banks against key indicators.
In addition, the British Bankers' Association website hosts a 'Business Account Finder'. This provides information on a range of financial services available to businesses, including current accounts. It presents a list of the most competitive current accounts available with separate sections for sole traders, limited companies, charities and other types of business.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to incentivise the sale of alcohol-free beers and ciders.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
Beers and ciders below 1.2 per cent alcohol by volume are exempt from alcohol duties.