Speeches by Baldwin.

“I mean the number of additional people who will have to have some sort of interaction with HMRC that is not just PAYE automatic. Then how many of them are pensioners? That would also be interesting, because the state pension is likely to get caught above the tax‑free threshold in the next few years.”

“Okay, brilliant. You mentioned that the helpline response rate is improving. I wondered whether you could share with us how much it has improved by, because I think your metric is that you want it to get to 85% where customers who want to speak to an adviser get to speak to an adviser. It does not sound like an incredi…”

“I think I heard the Minister say that you may look at that metric and think that that is not ambitious enough at 85%, and that you might look to increase that. How many people have downloaded the app now?”

“Last March, when the helpline was turned off and then turned on again, we were told in his evidence at the time by Jim Harra that the turning off had been because there was a plan to reduce the number of helpline staff by 5,000. Then some additional money was given to prevent that happening, but I am getting confused w…”

“Is that to not get rid of the 5,000?”

“Brilliant. Could you kindly follow up with that information and what the forecast is for the period ahead since the numbers have been clarified for the debt management and the HMRC compliance stuff? Lastly, can you tell us how you are using artificial intelligence to deliver a better service level for taxpayers?”

“It is good to see the Chancellor back from China and to hear her reiterate that growth is her No. 1 mission, because we have not had any growth since her Budget. Given that accepting responsibility is the first step in solving a problem, will she accept that last October’s Budget has caused business confidence and grow…”

“In yesterday’s extraordinary emergency statement from the Treasury to try to calm the markets, it paid tribute to the fact that the Government inherited the second-lowest debt in the G7. Is the reason the Government Front Bench is so empty today and the Chancellor has fled to China that she has realised that her Budget…”

“Does the Leader of the House plan to set aside some Government time for us to discuss the enormous changes to local government announced in a statement just before Christmas? That forced a lot of councils to come up with plans at very short notice. There has been limited opportunity for any kind of democratic engagemen…”

“My constituents will welcome the opportunity to get more services delivered through their GP surgeries, of which there are many excellent examples in West Worcestershire, and through community hospitals. However, I hear from those very same GP surgeries their concerns over the national insurance rises, and how that is …”

“Okay, and then who is responsible for the money laundering angle on that? Presumably if someone shows up with a great big sack of cash, someone—either the post office or the actual bank that is taking it—is accountable for making sure that is coming from a good source.”

“For cash to be accepted by market businesses, or businesses anywhere, ultimately a business has to be able to take that cash somewhere and deposit it into its bank account. So many bank branches are closing across the country—often the last ones in town—that the role of the banking hub and the Post Office become increa…”

“If you are banking with one of those 25 banks, you can have confidence now that you will be able to continue to take the cash that your business takes, and deposit it at the post office. Does the post office have any limits? You mentioned this astonishing figure of £3.5 billion a month, so £42 billion annually; I worke…”

“Under the new framework agreement, what I am hearing is that there are not going to be any changes in terms of the acceptance of cash for businesses, provided the banks agree to the new framework. Are you happy with the outcome of those negotiations?”

“It is a great honour to serve under your chairmanship this afternoon, Mr Betts. I congratulate the hon. Member for Portsmouth North (Amanda Martin) on securing this important debate. I must start by declaring an interest: I am married to someone who did a BT apprenticeship back in the day, and he always talks about how…”

“Post Office Ltd at this moment in time does not have a view on this, but you will keep an eye on it? Okay.”

“In terms of banking hubs themselves and the rules around banking hubs, we have heard about the importance of access to cash, but are there any changes that you would like to see in terms of the banking hub rules that would change the probability that a town where the last bank closes gets a banking hub?”

“Does anyone have a different view? No? They are doing a great job and they are absolutely on top of it? No? Okay.”

“So you are a bit disappointed by the way that the Payment Systems Regulator has been regulating this, then?”

“Just carrying on with the same theme, in terms of the interchange fees and the fees that you have to pay as people who are accepting card payments, do you have any strong recommendations for the Payment Systems Regulator? We have a role in scrutinising its work, and it is quite striking how high those fees can be; ther…”