Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to reduce the number of illegal tobacco and vaping products on sale in North Shropshire.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to reducing the number of illicit tobacco and vaping products on sale nationally.
For tobacco, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a robust strategy to tackle the illicit tobacco trade. HMRC works closely with Trading Standards to disrupt the illicit tobacco trade at retail level – known as Operation CeCe. In its first three years, more than 46 million illegal cigarettes and 12,600kg of hand-rolling tobacco were seized.
In July 2023, HM Revenue and Customs introduced a strengthened sanctions regime for breaches of the UK Tobacco Track and Trace System to combat illicit tobacco sales. New powers were also given to Trading Standards to make referrals to HMRC where they find evidence of high street retailers selling tobacco products that do not comply with the UK Tobacco Track and Trace System.
In January 2024, HMRC and Border Force published their latest illicit tobacco strategy, ‘Stubbing Out the Problem’. This sets out the Governments’ continued commitment to restrict the trade in illicit tobacco with a focus on reducing demand, and to tackle and disrupt organised crime groups. This strategy is supported by £100 million of new smokefree funding allocated over 5 years to boost existing HMRC and Border Force enforcement capability.
As with tobacco, there is a cross-government approach to reducing the number of illegal vapes. The vaping equivalent of Operation CeCe, Operation Joseph, led to the seizure of over 1 million illegal vapes in 2023-24, the last full year for which statistics are available.
HMRC are also working closely with both Trading Standards and Border Force to develop a robust compliance approach for the introduction of Vaping Products Duty (VPD) on 1 October 2026.
VPD is a new excise duty on vaping products, which will introduce additional compliance powers and controls across the vaping supply chain. This includes the introduction of a Vaping Duty Stamps (VDS) scheme, which will require highly secure stamps to be placed on all duty paid goods, supporting enforcement agencies and customers to identify illegal products.
HMRC are recruiting over 300 staff to strengthen this compliance approach and deliver VPD.
Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policy on the triple lock for the State Pensions of the report by the International Monetary Fund entitled United Kingdom: 2025 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for United Kingdom, published on 25 July 2025.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an independent international organisation. The Government engages regularly and constructively with the IMF, including during the annual bilateral surveillance process known as Article IV.
The Government is committed to the triple lock for the duration of this Parliament.
Asked by: Andrew Cooper (Labour - Mid Cheshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of nature depletion on trends in the level of GDP growth.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Treasury continues to make progress and explore ways to strengthen processes for assessing the climate and environmental impacts of fiscal decisions and improve the Green Book in line with emerging evidence and best practice.
The Government is investing in sustainable farming and nature recovery, both boosting productivity and supporting food and economic security.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the continued acceptance of personal cheques by banks.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Cheques remain an important part of the UK’s payments landscape. While there has been a decline in overall cheque volumes, they continue to be used by many individuals, businesses, charities and other voluntary organisations. Cheques can be deposited through a range of different channels, including at local bank branches, shared Banking Hubs and the Post Office.
To secure the future of cheque usage in the UK, HM Treasury introduced legislative measures in 2015 to allow banks and building societies to introduce ‘cheque imaging’. Cheque imaging allows a digital image of a cheque to be sent for clearing, rather than the paper cheque itself, and has also enabled people to pay in cheques via their smartphone or tablet.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the incidence of debanking without good reason by financial institutions.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Banking services fulfil a vital role for millions of people and businesses across the UK, and the Government is committed to ensuring high standards of consumer protection and financial inclusion across the financial services sector.
Earlier this year, the Government legislated to enhance protections for customers in cases where their bank account is terminated by their provider. Under these new rules coming into force for relevant new contracts from April 2026, Banks and other payment service providers will be required to give customers at least 90 days’ notice before closing their account or terminating a payment service and provide a clear and specific explanation so the customer can understand why it is being terminated.
These changes will ensure more transparent and predictable access to banking, giving customers the time and information they need to challenge decisions or find alternative arrangements.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of a national road-user charging system on (a) data-protection and (b) costs in administration.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Fuel duty is projected to raise £24.4bn in 2025/26 and will remain in place. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26.
The Chancellor meets with her Ministerial colleagues on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. The Government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact pay-per-mile road pricing on (a) rural motorists, (b) low-income drivers and (c) small businesses.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Fuel duty is projected to raise £24.4bn in 2025/26 and will remain in place. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26.
The Chancellor meets with her Ministerial colleagues on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. The Government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has (a) undertaken work, (b) commissioned research and (c) had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on (i) revenue modelling and (ii) impact assessments on potential options for replacing Fuel Duty with (A) distance-based and (B) pay-per-mile road pricing since July 2024.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Fuel duty is projected to raise £24.4bn in 2025/26 and will remain in place. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26.
The Chancellor meets with her Ministerial colleagues on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. The Government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing taxes on the land based gambling sector on (a) jobs and (b) high street investment.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government makes tax policy decisions at fiscal events. If any changes are made to gambling duties at Budget, legislation will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether UK-based insurers are insuring oil or gas tankers that transport Russian fossil fuel products.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
UK based insurers are permitted to provide insurance services to vessels transporting Russian origin oil or oil products if those products are shipped below the relevant price cap and the insurers comply with the conditions of the Oil Price Cap general licence. More information on the Maritime Services Ban and Oil Price Cap general licence can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/russian-oil-services-ban.
In January 2023 the UK prohibited all imports of Russian liquefied natural gas into the UK and provision of services which facilitate that import such as insurance. UK insurers are permitted to provide coverage to vessels transporting Russian gas between Russia and third countries. HMG is aware of UK based insurers who are currently involved in this trade.
These measures are restricting Russia’s funding for Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine; sanctions have deprived Russia of $450 billion in revenue, approximately four years of current Russian military spending.