Every parliamentary written question tabled by John Glen this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 101–120 of 125 · Treasury
If she will make it her policy to publish an impact assessment which has been assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee on the potential impact of the changes to National Insurance contributions announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 on employers.
A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.It has not been successive Government’s policy since 2010 for tax policy changes to be assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee.
Whether special advisers in her Department have met representatives of Anacta since the general election.
All relevant meetings attended by special advisers are declared in the normal way in the department’s quarterly transparency releases.
If she will place in the House of Commons Library a copy of the equality impact assessments for each of the tax measures in the Autumn Budget 2024.
The Treasury carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics in line with both legal obligations and with our strong commitment to promoting fairness.In the interests of transparency HM Treasury and HMRC already publish summaries of equality impacts for tax measures being legislated for in the Finance Bill in tax information and impact notes (TIINs).These can be found under the Autumn Budget 2024 subheading here: Tax information and impact notes - GOV.UK.
If she will make it her policy to publish an impact assessment which has been assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee on the potential impact of the changes to agricultural and business property relief announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.
The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms, and further explanatory information at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief.It has not been successive governments’ policy since 2010 for tax policy changes to be assessed by the Regulatory Policy Committee. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.
With reference to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's letter to the Senior Salaries Review Body of 30 September 2024, whether public sector pay rises will be linked to productivity improvements in financial year 2025-26.
Pay for most frontline workforces are set through an independent Pay Review Body (PRB) process. The independent PRBs, including the Senior Salaries Review Body, provide evidence-based advice to the government on levels of pay, taking account of a range of factors including the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably able and qualified people and the financial circumstances of the government.As set out in the Autumn Budget, Departmental settlements for 2025-26 will need to fund the next round of public sector pay awards. Departments will set out their affordability evidence to the PRBs in the usual way, taking account of expected inflation over the next financial year, forecast by the OBR to be 2.6%. If the PRBs recommend pay awards above the level departments have budgeted for, the Government will have to consider the justification – for example where there are especially acute recruitment and retention demands, or where productivity improvements can unlock further funding.
With reference to paragraph 2.51 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what her Department's policy is on the application of inheritance tax to (a) unused pension funds and (b) death benefits in relation to the (i) Ministerial and (ii) Civil Service Alpha pension schemes after April 2027.
As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027.These reforms impact on inherited sums arising from both defined contribution and defined benefit schemes. Both the Civil Service Alpha scheme and the Ministerial Pension Scheme are discretionary schemes, which means that lump sum death benefits paid from these schemes would previously not have formed part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes.As a result of these reforms, from 6 April 2027, lump sum death benefits paid from these schemes will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes.It is worth noting that non-discretionary defined benefit schemes, such as the NHS, are already within the scope of inheritance tax.
Whether the Government plans to take legislative steps to amend the Pensions Increase (Pension Scheme for Keir Starmer QC) Regulations 2013.
There are no plans to amend the regulations.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 4258 on Treasury: public appointments, if she will provide this data by the recruitment principles exception used by each grade.
Since 30 May 2024, the following appointments by exception have been made:Exception 1 (Temporary Appointments) – 22 appointments. The grades of these appointments are Student, Senior Executive Officer, Grade 7, and SCS2.Exception 3 (Secondments) – 8 appointments. The grades of these appointments are Higher Executive Officer, Senior Executive Officer, Grade 7 and SCS1.Exception 10 (Conversion to permanency for those appointed under Exception 1 or 2) – Fewer than 5 appointments.Where the number of individuals covered is fewer than 5, we consider that to provide an exact figure would constitute the disclosure of personal data. The ‘Student’ grade is used for staff appointed to short term roles via cross Civil Service internship schemes.
Whether the Covid Corruption Commissioner will be a direct Ministerial appointment.
The government will shortly appoint a Covid Corruption Commissioner - this follows an open competition that closed on 30 September. The details can be found at https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/8362?titleSearch=&bodySearch=&regulated=&bodyJustice=&remunerated=&status=open&sort=openingAt%3Adesc#attachmentsThe Commissioner will lead work to recover public funds from companies that took unfair advantage of government schemes during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2628 on Government departments: communication and public consultation, what data her Department holds on (a) government and (b) departmental spending on communications and marketing.
HMT does not hold data on all government spending on communications and marketing. However, communications and marketing spend above £100,000 is subject to central spending control and, as such, is published by each government department alongside other spend control data on a quarterly basis on gov.uk. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=spend+control+data&order=relevance. The Public Spending Audit, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July 2024, set a target for finding £50m savings in both 2024-25 and 2025-26 by stopping non-essential spending on communications. The Government will provide an update on the delivery of these commitments at the Budget.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 4258 on Treasury: public appointments, what the recruitment principles exception was for each appointment made by exception to her Department since 30 May 2024.
Since 30 May 2024, the following appointments by exception have been made: Exception 1 (Temporary Appointments) – 22 appointments. The grades of these appointments are Student, Senior Executive Officer, Grade 7, and SCS2. Exception 3 (Secondments) – 8 appointments. The grades of these appointments are Higher Executive Officer, Senior Executive Officer, Grade 7 and SCS1. Exception 10 (Conversion to permanency for those appointed under Exception 1 or 2) – Fewer than 5 appointments. Where the number of individuals covered is fewer than 5, we consider that to provide an exact figure would constitute the disclosure of personal data. The ‘Student’ grade is used for staff appointed to short term roles via cross Civil Service internship schemes.
For what reason it is the Government's to lift the Civil Service headcount cap that had been announced by the previous administration; and if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of this policy.
This government moved away from capping civil service headcount to an approach that ensures departments consider overall value for money in resourcing decisions.To this end it has introduced of a 2% target for reduction to administration budgets in financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26 and a stop to all non-essential spending on consultancy, with an aim to halve spending in future years. This government has also committed to developing a long-term strategic plan for a more efficient and effective civil service, including bold options to improve skills, harness digital technology and drive better outcomes for public services.Decisions relating to the cost of the civil service workforce will be considered as part of the Spending Review process. HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office will work closely with departments to develop plans that achieve the government’s reform objectives for the civil service.
Whether she has provided guidance to (a) Government departments and (b) arm’s-length bodies on steps that should be taken to reduce spending on (i) communications and (ii) consultancy fees, in the context of the commitments made in her Department’s policy paper entitled Fixing the foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, CP 1133, published in July 2024.
The responsibility for spending decisions within Departments and Arms Length Bodies (ALBs) rests with Accounting Officers (AOs). Overarching guidance for appropriate use of public funds is set out in Managing Public Money, whilst specific guidance on effective use of consultancy services is set out in the government’s Consultancy Playbook. As part of the Spending Review, HM Treasury will require each department to provide updated estimates of their planned spending on consultants and review to ensure compliance. HM Treasury and Cabinet Office continue to monitor consultancy spending to ensure that commitments set out by the Chancellor are met.To reduce communications spending across government, Government Communication Service conducted a review of all planned major government communications campaigns to ensure that these offer value for money for the taxpayer, are joined-up and deliver the greatest impact. The Government will provide an update on the delivery of these commitments at the Budget.
Pursuant to the Answer of 8 August 2024 to Question HL519 on Public Expenditure, for what reason parts of that speech were redacted; and whether the Permanent Secretary had a role in that redaction.
The speech was redacted to remove political content.Following the recognition of an administrative error within hours of the Chancellor’s speech being uploaded to GOV.UK, HM Treasury swiftly amended the text, and an updated, redacted version was uploaded, having been reviewed by senior officials.HM Treasury remains committed to full transparency. The department have reviewed and strengthened its procedures within the communications team to avoid such an administrative error being repeated.
If she will publish the declaration of interests of the International Investment Summit Adviser.
Declarations of interests have been made in the usual way. The Treasury does not comment on individual declarations of interests.
What the cost to the public purse was of public sector pay deals since 4 July 2024.
As set out in the 'Fixing the Foundations' document, which was published alongside the Chancellor’s Statement on 29 July, the 2024-25 pay awards for Pay Review Body workforces and the delegated Civil Service grades create an estimated further pressure of £9.4 billion in 2024-25 on top of what the previous government set aside for public sector pay awards. The previous government had only planned for 2% awards when setting budgets at the 2021 Spending Review, and then neglected to set aside the funds that were likely to be needed for these awards. Since the Chancellor's July Statement, resident doctors accepted the Government’s pay deal to provide an additional pay uplift worth an average of 4.05% on top of their existing pay award for 2023-24, which has an estimated cost impact of approximately £350 million per year. This offer has brought an end to industrial action by resident doctors. Industrial action in the NHS alone has cost taxpayers £1.7 billion since April 2023 and cost patients nearly 1.5 million cancelled appointments under the previous government. The government has also agreed pay mandates for rail staff at train operating companies and Network Rail. The total cost of these pay deals over the three-year period is significantly less than the economic impact strikes have had so far - not to mention the increased costs if industrial action continued.
With reference to the HMRC internal manual EIM01450 - Employment income: gifts and other voluntary payments, what guidance HMRC has provided her Department on whether gifts of (a) glasses and (b) clothing are subject to (i) income tax and (ii) National Insurance.
The normal rules for employment-related benefits apply to employment-related gifts, as described in HMRC guidance at https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim20020
What meetings officials in her Department have had with companies represented by Arden Strategies since 5 July 2024.
The government has engaged with a number of different businesses and trade bodies in the run up to the International Investment Summit – including Arden Strategies - to help coordinate meetings with key investors as part of the usual course of business. It also has an ongoing business engagement programme run by officials. All external meetings between senior officials at Permanent Secretary and Director General will be published on gov.uk in the usual way as part of the department’s quarterly transparency return.
Whether the International Investment Summit Adviser has (a) had meetings with representatives of Arden Strategies and (b) arranged meetings between Arden Strategies clients and officials in her Department since 5 July 2024.
The IIS Adviser has engaged with a number of different businesses and trade bodies in the run up to the International Investment Summit – including Arden Strategies - to help coordinate meetings with key investors as part of the usual course of business.
Whether she made a ministerial declaration of interest in relation to her donation from Ian Corfield.
Ian Corfield was appointed on a short-term basis to carry out urgent work in support of the government’s International Investment Summit in October. A full recruitment process could not have been completed in the time available. He has since been appointed, unpaid, as a direct ministerial appointment. The donation was included in the Chancellor's Register of Member's Interests.