Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance he can provide to people who require support but who are ineligible for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme as a result of their public sector pension.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government does not provide targeted COVID-19 assistance for people ineligible for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme as a result of their public sector pension.
The Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, business and workers to protect against the current economic emergency. It has prioritised measures that can be implemented quickly and effectively, and that benefit as many individuals as possible. The Government is committed to ensuring that older people are able to live with the dignity and respect they deserve, and the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people. Since 2010, the State Pension has been uprated by the highest of average earnings growth, price inflation or 2.5%; an approach known as the Triple Lock. Since 2010, the value of the State Pension has increased by £1,903.20 a year. The Government provides other support for older people, such as Winter Fuel Payments, free eye tests and NHS prescriptions, and free bus passes.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that people without access to the internet in their home are not excluded from accessing and completing their tax return online.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Without internet access at home, a taxpayer could use an agent, telephoning through figures for the agent to input online. Alternatively, anyone can call HMRC and request a blank return and complete it manually.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to (a) tackle high care costs faced by people affected by dementia and (b) increase investment in dementia care.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
At the 2019 Spending Review, the Government provided an additional £1bn funding for social care in 2020-21. In addition the Government has committed to urgently seek a cross-party consensus to bring forward proposals and legislation for long-term reform of adult social care.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 7 October 2019 to Question 293443, on Public Sector: Redundancy Pay, what recourse is available to public servants who have not had the waiver system applied to their exit payment and wish to challenge that decision.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
The published draft HM Treasury Directions set out circumstances where the power to relax restrictions must be exercised (“mandatory cases”) and may be exercised (“discretionary cases”). In discretionary cases, the relevant delegated authority must submit a business case to the sponsoring department for approval of the Principal Accounting Officer and the relevant Minister before submitting the business case to HM Treasury for approval. In mandatory cases, there is no requirement to send a business case to HM Treasury for approval.
The government is currently considering responses to the consultation and the consultation response will provide more detail in due course.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 7 October 2019 to Question 293443 on Public Sector: Redundancy Pay, how that waiver system will operate; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
The published draft HM Treasury Directions set out circumstances where the power to relax restrictions must be exercised (“mandatory cases”) and may be exercised (“discretionary cases”). In discretionary cases, the relevant delegated authority must submit a business case to the sponsoring department for approval of the Principal Accounting Officer and the relevant Minister before submitting the business case to HM Treasury for approval. In mandatory cases, there is no requirement to send a business case to HM Treasury for approval.
The government is currently considering responses to the consultation and the consultation response will provide more detail in due course.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the inclusion of pension strain within the £95,000 cap on public sector exit payments on long-serving public servants on low to middle salaries.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
The government was clear during the passage of the primary legislation that the cap will have no impact on the majority of public sector workers. We do however accept that there will be some circumstances where it is necessary or desirable to relax the cap. As such, a waiver system is in place for use in exceptional situations, including where imposing the cap would cause genuine hardship.
An impact assessment was conducted and published in the 2016 consultation ahead of the primary legislation. This impact assessment took the inclusion of pension strain into account and can be found here. A further equalities assessment will be conducted on the final version of the regulations. The government is currently considering responses to the consultation on the draft regulations to implement the public sector exit payment cap and will respond to the consultation in due course.
The government believes it is right to include all payments related to exit within the cap. The cap does not affect any pension that a person has earned through their years of service or have any impact on accrued pension rights. The cap ensures additional contribution to that pension made by the employer to fund early access to a pension is limited to no more than £95,000, on account these costs are ultimately funded by the taxpayer.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing duty on beer.
Answered by Simon Clarke
All taxes are kept under review and the impact of a change to beer duty is considered at each fiscal event, including its effect on pubs and the wider economy.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps in the forthcoming spending review to ensure that funding levels for childcare keep pace with the rising cost of living.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The government recognizes how important an issue childcare is to families with young children and we’re taking action to help people with the cost of living. That is why we will be spending almost £6 billion a year on childcare support in 2019/20 – a record amount. Spending decisions beyond 2019/20 will be considered in full at the Spending Review.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will protect the concessionary bus pass in the forthcoming Spending Review.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
Decisions on public spending, including on concessionary travel, will be made in the round as part of the Spending Review.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department receives any money from the 15 pence service charge on calls to the non-emergency police hotline 101.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
VAT is applied at the standard rate of 20% to all telephone service call charges.