Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with the (a) Department for Transport and (b) Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ahead of the 2019 Spending Review on the level of public funding required to provide (i) 4G mobile connectivity and (ii) Wi-Fi services to all rail passengers throughout the UK.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The government remains committed to improving rail passenger connectivity throughout the UK.
The Treasury has regular discussions with government departments on public spending across all policy areas – including rail passenger connectivity. Future spending decisions are a matter for the Spending Review.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the levels of public spending required to provide a good standard of mobile connectivity to all rail passengers throughout the UK.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The government remains committed to improving rail passenger connectivity throughout the UK.
The Treasury has regular discussions with government departments on public spending across all policy areas – including rail passenger connectivity. Future spending decisions are a matter for the Spending Review.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish what information his Department holds on overall public spending per capita in (a) Jarrow Constituency (b) South Tyneside and (c) Tyne and Wear and (d) the North East since 2010.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
With regard to parts (a), (b) and (c) of the question, the government does not hold information on overall expenditure within these constituencies. However, per capita expenditure for the North East is shown in the table below as sourced from the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis (PESA) command paper.
Total identifiable expenditure on services in the North East, per head 2010-11 to 2016-17 | |
Financial year | £ per head |
2010-11 | 9330 |
2011-12 | 9245 |
2012-13 | 9284 |
2013-14 | 9377 |
2014-15 | 9451 |
2015-16 | 9585 |
2016-17 | 9680 |
Source 2010-11: PESA 2016 | |
Source 2011-12: PESA 2017 | |
Source 2012-13 to 2016-17: PESA 2018 | |
A link to the latest edition of PESA is provided below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/public-expenditure-statistical-analyses-2018
Table 9.2 will be of interest as it shows total identifiable expenditure on services by country and region, per head between 2012-13 and 2016-17.
Table 9.2 data for earlier years can be found in past editions of PESA. For example data back to 2011-12 is available in the 2017 edition of PESA, whilst data for 2010-11 is available in the 2016 edition. A link to a webpage collecting past and present editions of PESA is provided below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-expenditure-statistical-analyses-pesa
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of bank branch closures in the North East; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Glen
The decision to close a branch is a commercial issue for the management team of the bank. However, Government believes it is important the impact on communities must be understood, considered and mitigated where possible.
The Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard which commits banks to ensure personal and business customers are better informed about branch closures and the reasons for them closing. It also helps customers to understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help. The Access to Banking Standard is monitored and enforced by the independent Lending Standards Board.
Government also considers it important that all customers, wherever they live and especially those who are vulnerable, can still access over the counter services. That is why we support the Post Office’s Banking Framework Agreement, which enables 99% of banks’ personal and 95% of banks’ business customers to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches.
The Government is committed to ensuring that communities across the UK are fully aware of the important services that remain available to them at their local Post Office, even if their bank branch is closed. In March, in response to my request, the Post Office and UK Finance have committed to work together to raise public awareness of the banking services available at the Post Office for individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.5 of the Autumn Budget 2017, if his Department will make an estimate of how many first-time buyers will benefit from the proposed relief to Stamp Duty Land Tax to help young people buy their first home in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
The number of purchases benefitting from the Stamp Duty Land Tax relief for first-time buyers in the North East is estimated to be 7,000 in 2018-19. The number of purchases benefitting in England is estimated to be 205,000 in 2018-19.
HMRC is unable to provide estimates for first time buyers at a constituency or local authority level.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 6.8 of the Autumn Budget 2017, whether the Government plans to commit to funding pay awards for public sector workers other than NHS staff.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Government funds pay awards for all public sector workers. In September it was announced Prison Officers would see an above 1% rise for 2017/18, funded from the Ministry of Justice budget. In the NHS specifically, there are unique pressures this year: there are more operations than ever and more people going to A&E than ever. That’s why we’re giving the NHS as a whole additional funding, with the potential for extra funding for pay.
For all workforces in 2018/19, PRBs will look at the evidence and make recommendations in the Spring/Summer.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.5 of the Autumn Budget 2017, if his Department will make an estimate of how many first-time buyers will benefit from the proposed relief to Stamp Duty Land Tax to help young people buy their first home in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
The number of purchases benefitting from the Stamp Duty Land Tax relief for first-time buyers in the North East is estimated to be 7,000 in 2018-19. The number of purchases benefitting in England is estimated to be 205,000 in 2018-19.
HMRC is unable to provide estimates for first time buyers at a constituency or local authority level.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 4.4 of the Autumn Budget 2017, how his Department plans to address the productivity gap in the North East compared to other regions of the UK.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
This government places addressing the UK’s productivity challenge at the heart of its economic plan. As set out in the Budget 2017, the government will drive productivity and growth in every region of the UK by investing in infrastructure, developing skills, supporting business and devolving powers. Those going into technical education in the North East will benefit from the nationwide investment of up to £20m to prepare for T Levels. The Autumn Budget also announced a £337 million investment to replace the Tyne & Wear Metro rolling stock, and transport users in the Tees Valley Combined Authority will benefit from £59 million for investment in transport projects.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.5 of the Autumn Budget 2017, what estimate he has made of the number of taxpayers in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England who will benefit from the increase of the personal allowance and higher rate threshold.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Government is increasing the income tax personal allowance and higher rate threshold to £11,850 and £46,350 respectively in 2018-19, as set out in paragraph 3.5 of the Autumn Budget 2017.
In England, government increases to the PA and HRT will have lifted around 986,000 people out of income tax altogether in 2018-19 compared to 2015-16, and 26.1m people will have gained by an average of £195.
In the North East of England, government increases to the PA and HRT will have lifted around 52,000 people out of income tax altogether in 2018-19 compared to 2015-16, and 1.2m people will have gained by an average of £185.
HM Treasury does not publish this information at district or constituency level.
Asked by: Stephen Hepburn (Independent - Jarrow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.26 of the Autumn Budget 2017, what estimate the Government has made of the number of businesses that will benefit from the increase in R&D expenditure credit in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
The number of businesses registered in (a) Jarrow constituency and (b) South Tyneside which claim the R&D expenditure credit (RDEC) cannot be disclosed for reasons of taxpayer confidentiality.
The estimated numbers of businesses registered in (c) the North East and (d) England which claimed RDEC in 2015-16 are published in Table RD5 of the R&D Tax Credits National Statistics:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/corporate-tax-research-and-development-tax-credit
These statistics also show the estimated number of businesses which claimed under the large company scheme that has now been replaced by RDEC.