Written questions by Egan.

What steps she is taking to ensure access to a) physical currency, b) banking services and c) legal services in (i) the UK and (ii) Bristol North East constituency.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure banks carry out appropriate anti-fraud checks.

Awaiting answer.

What equality impact assessment she has undertaken regarding the effect of the increase in Normal Minimum Pension Age on women, particularly those with primary caring responsibilities.

Awaiting answer.

What steps are being taken to regulate cryptocurrency investment.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her department has made of the differences in percentage pay increases between different public sector staff like prison staff, probation officers, nurses, doctors etc.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of Child Benefit rules on children in shared care arrangements.

The current system places Child Benefit in the hands of one parent or guardian and gives that person responsibility for allocating it between capital and day to day costs. This ensures that the family with priority of entitlement for a child is provided with a suitable level of support for any particular child at any one time. It is vital especially for parents and families on lower incomes that enough support is directed to them to lift the child out of poverty or to keep the child out of poverty. We recognise that where families share responsibility for a child there may be issues around the availability of support. However, payment of support to the person with priority of entitlement for a child is seen as the most appropriate way to deal with the majority of families with children.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the cycle to work scheme available to people who are self-employed.

The Cycle to Work scheme is a benefit-in-kind provided by employers to their employees. A benefit-in-kind is a form of non-cash remuneration provided by employers to their employees. Income tax and National Insurance contribution relief is provided on the scheme to both employers and their employees via salary sacrifice arrangements. As a result, the scheme is not open to the self-employed, who are not eligible for salary sacrifice.

What steps her Department is taking to support the hospitality sector with increased employment costs.

The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector across the UK. The UK hospitality sector is largely made up of small businesses. The Government has protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that 865,000 employers will pay no employer NICs at all this year. To reduce wider burdens for the hospitality sector, we have also established the Licensing Taskforce and will call for evidence on a National Licensing Policy Framework which will set out national direction for licensing authorities to consider economic growth and cultural value. In addition, the English Devolution Bill will protect businesses from upward only rent clauses, and we are introducing a strong new ‘Community Right to Buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing a counterpart to the cycle to work scheme for self-employed people.

The Cycle to Work scheme is a benefit-in-kind provided by employers to their employees. A benefit-in-kind is a form of non-cash remuneration provided by employers to their employees. Income tax and National Insurance contribution relief is provided on the scheme to both employers and their employees via salary sacrifice arrangements. As a result, the scheme is not open to the self-employed, who are not eligible for salary sacrifice. The government considers all tax changes in the round at fiscal events. The government stands by the commitment made not to increase tax on working people, including income tax, national insurance and VAT The government is not going to speculate on tax changes ahead of the Budget on 30th October.