Antony Seely

Research Briefing

The Tobin Tax : recent developments

Thursday, 15 May, 2014

The American economist James Tobin first made the suggestion for a tax on currency transactions to dissuade short term currency speculation in the 1970s. Recently the idea of a more general 'Tobin-like' tax on financial transactions has been discussed, in the wake of the global financial crisis. In January 2013 eleven Member States agreed to pursue the introduction of a Tobin-like tax, as consensus on an EU-wide tax proved impossible. The UK is not one of the participating States. This note looks at these developments, while a second note (SN1346) gives some historical background to the issue.

• Research Briefing
• Tax

Research Briefing

Consumer rights Bill: Progress of the Bill

Thursday, 08 May, 2014

This is a report on the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Consumer Rights Bill. It complements Research Paper 14/5 prepared for Commons Second Reading.

• Research Briefing
• Consumers

Research Briefing

Direct taxes: rates and allowances 2014/15

Friday, 04 April, 2014

This paper sets out the main changes to direct tax rates and allowances announced in the Budget on 19 March 2014.

• Research Briefing
• National Insurance
• Tax

Research Briefing

Wales Bill 2013-14

Thursday, 27 March, 2014

The Wales Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 20 March 2014; it is due to have its second reading on 31 March 2014. The Bill devolves some tax-raising powers to the National Assembly for Wales. Stamp duty and landfill tax are devolved, while a power is created to reduce income tax by 10 pence in the pound and put a Welsh rate of income tax in its place. The Bill allows these powers over income tax to be devolved only if they are approved in a referendum, the calling of which is subject to parliamentary approval and a two-thirds majority in the Assembly.

• Research Briefing
• Devolution
• Tax

Research Briefing

Budget 2014: a summary

Sunday, 23 March, 2014

Budget 2014 and Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts: a summary. Includes overview along with analysis of forecasts and changes to pensions and savings, the welfare cap and the treatment of disputed tax.

• Research Briefing
• Economic situation
• Finance
• Pensions
• Public spending
• Tax
• Working age benefits

Research Briefing

National Insurance Contributions Bill 2013-14 : Parliamentary scrutiny

Wednesday, 26 February, 2014

The main purpose of the National Insurance Contributions Bill 2013-14 is to implement the new Employment Allowance - which allows businesses to claim up to £2,000 from their annual payment of NICs. The Bill also contains a number of miscellaneous measures announced in Budget 2013 relating to the scope of NICs. This note gives an overview of the Bill’s scrutiny to date. It is complemented by a Library Research paper prepared for its Second Reading debate (RP13/60, 20 November 2013).

• Research Briefing
• National Insurance
• Tax

Research Briefing

Government support for childcare and childcare reform under the Coalition Government

Wednesday, 29 January, 2014

This note provides an overview of Government childcare policies since 2010.

• Research Briefing
• Benefits policy
• Child care
• Children and families
• Schools
• Tax

Research Briefing

Government support for childcare under the Labour Government 1997-2010

Wednesday, 29 January, 2014

This note gives an overview of support for childcare under the Labour Government 1997-2010.

• Research Briefing
• Child care
• Family benefits
• Schools
• Tax
• Working age benefits

Research Briefing

Consumer Rights Bill

Monday, 27 January, 2014

This Research Paper has been produced to inform Second Reading debate on the Consumer Rights Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons on 23 January 2014 and is due to have its Second Reading on 28 January 2014.

• Research Briefing
• Business
• Consumers

Insight

Tax exile on Main Street: Tax avoidance and the future of the tax system

Friday, 06 December, 2013

• Insight
• Economy

Research Briefing

National Insurance contributions : changes from April 2011

Friday, 08 November, 2013

A number of changes to the structure and rates of National Insurance contributions took effect from April 2011. This note provides a summary.

• Research Briefing
• National Insurance
• Tax

Research Briefing

The Regional Employer NI Holiday

Friday, 01 November, 2013

In its first Budget in June 2010 the Coalition Government annunced a three year regional National Insurance contributions (NICs) 'holiday' for new employers. New businesses would be entitled to deduct up to £5,000 from their NICs bill, for each of the first ten employees they took on in their first year of business. New businesses in Greater London, the South East Region and the Eastern Region were excluded from the scheme. The NI Holiday lasted from 22 June 2010 to 5 September 2013. This note looks at the scheme's introduction and presents figures on its take-up.

• Research Briefing
• National Insurance
• Tax

Research Briefing

National Insurance Contributions Bill [Bill 112 of 2013-14]

Friday, 01 November, 2013

This Bill would introduce the new Employment Allowance from April 2014 - a tax relief for employers paying National Insurance contributions on their employees' earnings, first announced in the 2013 Budget.

• Research Briefing
• National Insurance
• Tax

Research Briefing

VAT : the temporary cut in the standard rate

Friday, 20 September, 2013

This note discusses the Labour Government's decision, announced in the Pre-Budget Report on 24 November 2008, to cut the standard rate of VAT from 171/2% to 15%, from 1 December 2008 to 31 December 2009. It goes on to examine the way this tax change was implemented, and the debate there was about its impact.

• Research Briefing
• Tax

Research Briefing

VAT : Budget 2012 changes to loopholes and anomalies

Tuesday, 03 September, 2013

In Budget 2012 the Government announced the removal of a number of 'loopholes and anomalies' in the coverage of VAT - affecting self-storage facilities, approved alterations to listed buildings, catering & hot takeaway food, sports drinks, holiday caravans and the rental of hairdressers' chairs. This note gives details of the changes, which, for the most part, took effect from 1 October 2012.

• Research Briefing
• Tax