Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 19 March 2026 to Question HL15251 on Business Rates, whether devolved Administrations will receive Barnett consequential funding for pub and live music relief; and whether the figures cited are for England only.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Business rates are a devolved tax. Details on business rates receipts in England can be found on page 112 of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
The Barnett formula applied in the normal way, as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, to changes in business rates revenue.
A breakdown of Barnett consequentials for the Devolved Governments as a result of decisions at Spring Forecast will be reflected in the next iteration of the Block Grant Transparency publication.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of gross business rate receipts in (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom in (i) 2024-25, (ii) 2025-26 and (iii) 2026-27 following changes to pub and live music relief.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Business rates are a devolved tax. Details on business rates receipts in England can be found on page 112 of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
The Barnett formula applied in the normal way, as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, to changes in business rates revenue.
A breakdown of Barnett consequentials for the Devolved Governments as a result of decisions at Spring Forecast will be reflected in the next iteration of the Block Grant Transparency publication.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of taxes on the hospitality sector in (a) 2024, (b) 2025 and (c) the first quarter of 2026; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of further tax on hospitality businesses’ (i) confidence, (ii) profitability and (iii) ability to expand.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important contribution that businesses in the hospitality sector make to local communities, the high street and the wider economy across the UK. The potential impacts of changes on this sector are carefully considered as part of policy development.
Where changes are made, relevant impact notes and assessments are published at fiscal events and otherwise as necessary, in line with the Government’s usual practice. The Treasury and other government departments also engage regularly with the hospitality sector to understand the challenges they face.
The Government continues to provide targeted support to the hospitality sector through the tax system and other policies and keeps all areas of the tax system under review.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how her Department monitors the impact of inflation on rural low-income families.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that rising household costs, driven by elevated inflation, continue to place pressure on many families, including those in rural areas.
CPI inflation is measured by the Office for National Statistics. While it is not broken down by geographic region or by income level, the ONS does produce a wider range of measures that consider the cost pressures faced by different groups. This in part recognises that low-income households can be more exposed to price rises in essential goods and services, and may be disproportionately affected when these rise faster than average inflation.
Tackling the cost of living is a top priority for the Government. At the Budget, the Government also took action to bear down on prices and support households, including by reducing household energy bills from April 2026, expanding the Warm Home Discount, freezing regulated rail fares and NHS prescription fees, and extending the 5p fuel duty cut. Alongside this, the Government is going even further to support those who need it most by removing the two-child limit, increasing the national living wage, and committing to the pensions Triple Lock for the duration of this Parliament.
Since the beginning of the Iran conflict, the government has acted quickly to provide £53m in timely, targeted support to low-income households struggling with the rising price of heating oil and at risk of losing access to heating and hot water.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what policy HMRC follows on suspending automated penalty notices and enforcement action in cases where a taxpayer's account has been compromised by a third party.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Since May 2025, HMRC has seen a significant increase in VAT fraud attempts relating to criminals compromising legitimate customer accounts. HMRC security teams actively investigate these incidents and work with experts across the department to continually strengthen the security of online services.
HMRC’s approach is to identify and prevent fraud upstream by strengthening perimeter controls to prevent fraudulent access to systems, applying effective risk‑based controls at the point of registration and repayment, and targeting the organised criminal groups behind these attacks. HMRC’s Cybercrime team works proactively to understand these threats and identify those responsible.
Where HMRC identifies that a taxpayer’s VAT account has been compromised by a third party, the department takes action to lock the digital account to prevent further unauthorised access and to mitigate any adverse impact on the customer.
HMRC contacts the customer to explain what has occurred, the action taken to correct their account, and any steps the customer needs to take. Until recently, customers were asked to appeal any penalties or interest incurred. However, the process has been adjusted so that any incorrect penalties are now inhibited and removed.
Once the customer regains access to their account, HMRC provides appropriate support and allows additional time for the customer to submit updates and returns without accruing penalties.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HMRC online accounts were reported as (a) compromised or (b) subject to unauthorised access in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Information relating to suspected or confirmed account compromise is recorded across different systems and teams, reflecting variation in how fraud presents across HMRC services and channels. As a result, HMRC is unable to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the number of accounts reported as compromised or subject to unauthorised access for each of the last three financial years in the format requested.
HMRC continues to strengthen its capability to identify, respond to and manage compromised accounts, including improving incident management processes and developing more joined‑up approaches to monitoring and response across services.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Valuation Office Agency delays on residents in West Dorset.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office is improving performance in a number of ways, including moving people onto areas of high customer demand, continued investment in IT improvements and piloting using new technology to streamline ways of working. Performance is improving month-on-month and integration with HMRC offers further opportunities to improve how it delivers its services and accelerates modernisation. It is working as quickly as possible to clear cases and continues to prioritise older cases and cases where customers are experiencing financial hardship.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to improve Valuation Office Agency service delivery in West Dorset.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office is improving performance in a number of ways, including moving people onto areas of high customer demand, continued investment in IT improvements and piloting using new technology to streamline ways of working. Performance is improving month-on-month and integration with HMRC offers further opportunities to improve how it delivers its services and accelerates modernisation. It is working as quickly as possible to clear cases and continues to prioritise older cases and cases where customers are experiencing financial hardship.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support she is providing to post offices to help with changes in the level of business rates.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the vital role that the Post Office plays in the economy and wider society At the Budget, the Government acted to limit increases in business rates bills, announcing a support package worth £4.3 billion. The Government has also introduced new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.
Post offices are also eligible for 100 per cent rural rate relief if they meet certain conditions.
Further data related to the 2026 revaluation can be found at: Non-domestic rating: change in rateable value of rating lists, England and Wales, 2026 Revaluation (compiled list) - GOV.UK
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Chancellor gets banks to step up mortgage support for customers, published on 26 March 2026, what specific commitments were agreed by lenders during the meeting referenced in the announcement.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 26 March 2026, the Chancellor met with the six largest mortgage lenders (Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest Group, Barclays UK, HSBC UK, Santander UK, and Nationwide Building Society), alongside UK Finance, to discuss the outlook for mortgage rates in light of the conflict in Iran, how lenders are responding, and what practical support is available to concerned borrowers. At this meeting, these lenders committed to proactively contact 1.6 million customers whose fixed-rate deals end between now and the end of the year, setting out options well before payments change.
Lenders across the industry also reaffirmed their commitment to the Mortgage Charter. The Mortgage Charter is a voluntary agreement that covers 90% of the sector, and provides flexibilities to help borrowers manage their repayments over a short period. This includes it permitting borrowers to switch to an interest only mortgage, or extend their mortgage term, for up to 6 months, after which they can switch back without a new affordability check or it affecting their credit score. The Financial Conduct Authority regularly publish data on uptake of the Mortgage Charter.
The Mortgage Charter is in addition to Financial Conduct Authority rules which provide significant protections for all borrowers, including ensuring all customers are treated fairly. Any borrower who is concerned about making their repayment should contact their lender. Seeking support and engaging with lenders to discuss options will not affect a borrower’s credit score in any way, and earlier engagement will mean that lenders can offer more support.
More broadly, the market remains open, resilient and competitive. Prospective first-time buyers may find it useful to speak to a broker in order to find the best possible product available for their circumstances.