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Finance Bill - New Clause 6
18 April 2023
Lead MP
Kit Malthouse
North West Hampshire
Con
Debate Type
Bill Debate
Tags
No tags
Other Contributors: 24
At a Glance
Kit Malthouse raised concerns about finance bill - new clause 6 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Kit Malthouse
Con
North West Hampshire
He expressed concern about the transitional zone between £50,000 to £250,000 profits where businesses may feel constrained. He urged the Minister to review and possibly shift thresholds upwards before next year.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
He sought assurance that small businesses in Northern Ireland will benefit from the proposed changes, highlighting their importance given the region's job pressure.
Kit Malthouse
Con
North West Hampshire
He emphasised the complexity involved in making SEIS investments and urged consideration of simplification measures to make it more attractive for businesses. He highlighted the need for a review of thresholds.
Vicky Ford
Con
Chelmsford
She stressed the importance of ensuring that other countries implement the agreed rules and called for a focused approach to ensure global compliance, emphasising the potential threats to competitiveness if others do not follow suit.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Con
North East Somerset
He cautioned about reliance on US adherence to international rules given the Republicans' opposition in Congress.
Richard Fuller
Con
North Bedfordshire
He questioned whether other countries, particularly the US, will enact necessary legislation and expressed concern about competitive subsidies and allowances.
James Murray
Lab Co-op
Ealing North
Mr. Murray criticises the frequent changes to corporation tax, arguing it does not provide stability for businesses. He also questions the temporary nature of capital allowances and R&D reliefs, stating that it only brings forward investment rather than increasing its overall level.
Kit Malthouse
Con
North West Hampshire
Mr. Malthouse argues that creating a deadline for tax breaks incentivises immediate action and investment by businesses, rather than delaying it.
Ms. Lucas points out the climate cost of incentivising oil and gas at a time when transitioning to green energy technologies is crucial.
Richard Fuller
Con
North Bedfordshire
Mr. Fuller raises concerns that other countries may not enact similar legislation, potentially putting British companies at a disadvantage and questioning Labour's approach to transparency.
Richard Fuller
Con
North Bedfordshire
Expressed concerns about the implementation and purpose of Pillar Two. He questioned the way the UK is going about achieving fair taxation for multinational companies. Highlighted the potential negative impact on British businesses, particularly in sectors like insurance, with significant compliance costs. Emphasised that consumers would bear the brunt through higher premiums and inflationary impacts.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Expressed concerns about the implementation of Pillar Two, questioning its purpose. She criticised Labour's approach to regulation and called for a delay in implementation until other countries move towards implementing similar taxes. Highlighted that British businesses already pay above the minimum 15% tax rate and argued that implementing this tax would have an impact on competitiveness, potentially leading to capital flight and jeopardising future investment income.
Kirsty Blackman
SNP
Aberdeen North
Supports new clauses and amendments for transparency, tax simplification, and climate change obligations. Argues for post-implementation reviews of tax measures to ensure they achieve intended benefits. Concerned about R&D spend on data and cloud computing restrictions under clause 10. Calls for better protection against inflation for constituents.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Con
North East Somerset
He argues that increasing corporation tax is a mistake and goes against economic principles. He cites historical evidence from Chancellor George Osborne showing that reducing corporation tax increased revenue. The current clause will hit small businesses at higher marginal rates, discouraging investment and innovation. It also undermines Britain's competitiveness in the global market and encourages business relocation to more favourable jurisdictions like Ireland. Rees-Mogg emphasises that corporations ultimately pass on costs to consumers through higher prices or reduced employment, exacerbating cost of living issues.
Simon Clarke
Con
Newton Abbot
Clarke agrees with Rees-Mogg's position and highlights a specific example of AstraZeneca’s decision to relocate operations from the UK to Ireland due to tax considerations. He underscores the importance of lowering corporation tax rates to enhance competitiveness.
Richard Fuller
Con
North Bedfordshire
Fuller raises concerns about how the global minimum tax will impact companies with significant intangible assets in advanced countries, suggesting it could disadvantage western democracies relative to China. He also notes implications for pension valuations, as many are invested in companies affected by this legislation.
Richard Fuller
Con
North Bedfordshire
Made a point of order for complete transparency regarding his role as an adviser to a technology investment company, which is not affected by global minimum tax.
Sarah Olney
Lib Dem
Richmond Park
Argued that the new clause would require the Government to produce an impact assessment of changes to R&D tax credits for SMEs, highlighting concerns over the negative impacts on business investment and productivity. Emphasised the importance of incentivising companies across all sectors to innovate, particularly those not habitually innovators.
Kirsty Blackman
SNP
Aberdeen North
Interjected to support the Liberal Democrat new clause 7 if it is pressed to a Division, indicating the Scottish National party’s backing.
Caroline Lucas
Green
Brighton, Pavilion
She argues that companies like BP and Shell are profiting from fossil fuel extraction while millions of UK households struggle with high energy bills. She criticises the decarbonisation allowance for subsidising oil and gas production without addressing end emissions or mitigating climate change impacts. Caroline Lucas also emphasises the need for stronger policies to reduce flaring and carbon capture.
Emma Hardy
Lab
Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice
Supports new clause 3 to address economic uncertainty caused by political instability. Argues that the lack of consistency in policy and direction from Conservative Chancellors hampers business investment. Emphasises the importance of long-term strategic planning for managing the economy, citing infrastructure under-investment as a key issue. Raises concerns about tax fraud in R&D tax relief schemes.
Sarah Olney
Lib Dem
Richmond Park
[INTERVENTION] Agrees with Emma Hardy's point on tax fraud, suggesting that removing tax breaks entirely is an overreaction. Proposes further measures to combat fraud and error in R&D tax relief schemes instead of eliminating the tax relief.
Douglas Chapman
SNP
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
Douglas Chapman supports SNP new clause 8, which aims to extend relief of R&D expenditure for data and cloud computing services. He argues that small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland are struggling due to economic decline caused by Brexit and need more support. The current Government is seen as abandoning the business community without providing stability or long-term plans. Chapman emphasises the importance of addressing climate change alongside other economic issues, highlighting the lack of focus on net-zero targets by the UK Government.
Victoria Atkins
Con
Louth and Horncastle
Expressed gratitude towards Members for their contributions, highlighted the importance of government's borrowing due to pandemic response measures like furlough scheme, discussed corporation tax increase to 25% and its impact on business support, mentioned international agreements on pillar two rules to prevent capital flight, reassured about implementation timelines for Japan and other countries, argued against new clauses by stating existing commitment to international cooperation and business reviews, emphasised the economic benefits of full expensing policy as a £27 billion tax cut for businesses over three years, supported energy profits levy despite concerns raised.
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