Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a multi-year averaging mechanism for pension growth calculations in the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme in Northern Ireland to mitigate the impact of delayed pay awards.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Policy in respect of Public Service Pension Schemes in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82997 on the Restoring Your Railway Fund, whether the audit was independently reviewed by (a) the Office for Budget Responsibility and (b) another external body.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

In July 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer instructed HM Treasury officials to undertake an audit of public spending. The audit’s findings showed a forecast overspend on departmental spending of £21.9 billion above the totals that had been set at Spring Budget 2024.

Taking immediate action to respond to the spending pressure, the government cancelled unfunded policy announcements made by the previous government, including the Restoring Your Railway programme.

The full Spending Audit summary can be found on GOV.UK.

The OBR conducted a review into the Spring Budget 2024 forecast which is available on their website, setting out that if the OBR had been aware of the scale of pressures at the time, they would have reached a “materially different judgement about...spending in 2024-2025”

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 73352 on Government: Cryptoassets, in which accounting funds cryptocurrency assets are assigned; and whether external companies are used to hold the crypto assets.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HMT and central government do not hold any cryptoassets.

The seizure, recovery and management of cryptoassets, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, is for independent law enforcement and the courts to consider.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact on household costs in the event that the freeze on fuel duty is lifted in the November budget.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

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 temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans her Department has to review the future of the fuel duty freeze.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

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 temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis they have carried out to quantify the loss of inherited benefits from pension schemes, in terms of reduced pension income and lower life insurance support, as a result of the imposition of inheritance tax on pensions at death.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Most 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. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement.

Estates will continue to benefit from the normal nil-rate bands, reliefs, and exemptions available. For example, the nil-rate bands mean an estate can pass on up to £1 million with no inheritance tax liability and the general rules mean any transfers, including the payment of death benefits, to a spouse or civil partner are fully exempt from inheritance tax. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2029-30 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth. Around 213,000 estates are expected to have inheritable pension wealth in 2027-28, with only 10,500 estates becoming liable to pay inheritance tax as a result of these reforms, and around 38,500 paying more than would previously have been the case.

The Government is continuing to incentivise pensions for their intended purpose of funding retirement.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of delayed implementation in Northern Ireland of pay awards recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration on consultants' pension tax liabilities.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Decisions regarding the implementation of pay awards for doctors and dentists in Northern Ireland are a devolved matter and are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when severance payments to (a) Simon Case and (b) Alex Chisholm were approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HM Treasury applies rigorous scrutiny when approving special severance payments.

(a) Simon Case’s severance payment was approved by the Chief Secretary in March 2025.

(b) Alex Chisholm’s severance payment was approved by HM Treasury officials in accordance with published guidance.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to bring forward the secondary legislation required under the Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Act 2024 to enact provisions around further alignment with Companies Law on execution of documents and use of common seals.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government is committed to supporting the growth of building societies in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector. As part of this, the government is committed to ensuring that building societies can operate in a modern and supportive legislative environment.

On 14 October 2024, the government introduced two statutory instruments to modernise the 1986 Act. The Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment of Small Business Turnover Limit) Order 2024 came into force on 4 November 2024 and the Building Societies Act 1986 (Modifications) Order 2024 came into force on 6 January 2025.

The government will look to give effect to the powers enabled through the Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Act 2024 in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether was she informed by the Office for Budget Responsibility in advance of the (a) Autumn Budget 2024 and (b) Spring Statement 2025 that it was likely to conduct a review of productivity forecasts at a forthcoming fiscal event.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The OBR regularly reviews its forecast assumptions. As set out in its latest annual Forecast Evaluation Report, published in July 2025, the OBR noted that they are "currently conducting our regular summer supply stocktake, which involves research into our potential output forecast and its components."

As the Government’s independent official forecaster, the OBR has full discretion over the judgements underpinning its forecasts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to bring forward the secondary legislation required under the Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Act 2024 to enact provisions around the disapplication of the wholesale funding limit for funds held for prudential purposes.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government is committed to supporting the growth of building societies in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector. As part of this, the government is committed to ensuring that building societies can operate in a modern and supportive legislative environment.

On 14 October 2024, the government introduced two statutory instruments to modernise the 1986 Act. The Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment of Small Business Turnover Limit) Order 2024 came into force on 4 November 2024 and the Building Societies Act 1986 (Modifications) Order 2024 came into force on 6 January 2025.

The government will look to give effect to the powers enabled through the Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Act 2024 in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2025 to Question 59028 on Public Expenditure, what the monetary value is of the indicative (a) capital and (b) resource departmental expenditure limit settlement budgeted for Parliament over each year of the Spending Review; and whether this includes budgeted funding for the restoration and renewal programme.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Figures on the resource and capital outturns, estimates and forecasts for Parliamentary Bodies over the Spending Review period - including for the Restoration and Renewal of Parliament - are provided in the table below. The figures in future years can change. The budgets for Parliamentary Bodies are set by Parliament.

*Excludes non-cash ringfence

**Main Estimate, excludes non-cash ringfence

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of annual tax loss from untaxed remittances sent abroad by non-UK nationals.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reforms to the Landfill Tax on businesses engaged in environmentally-responsible waste (a) treatment and (b) recycling.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support the Government’s circular economy objectives. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including from businesses that are engaged in environmentally responsible waste management practices. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of salary sacrifice schemes on the (a) affordability and (b) uptake of electric vehicles among (i) lower and (ii) middle-income drivers.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC publishes annual statistics which provide information about the company cars provided as benefits in kind to employees by employers, including the proportion of the company car stock which is electric. The most recent statistics were published in June 2024 for the tax year 2022-23, which showed that 220,000 company cars were fully electric, or 29% of the total company car stock, an increase from 50,000 in 2020-21.

The Government recognises that Company Car Tax Regime and salary sacrifice exemption for ultra-low and zero emission vehicles continues to play an important role in the EV transition. The Government is committed to supporting the transition to electric vehicles, and generous company car tax rates for electric cars have been a key incentive for increasing their number on the road. Electric company cars also play a significant role in supporting the used EV markets. At the end of their lease company cars are sold into the used markets, which is where the majority of car sales take place in the UK.

More widely, the UK has a range of measures to support people to transition to zero emission vehicles, including the plug-in grant for vans and support for charging infrastructure across all of England.

The Government has more recently announced the new Electric Car Grant, which supports drivers to purchase ZEVs with grants of up to £3,750. The grant will help save drivers money and get more of them buying EVs, whilst helping the Government to deliver its environmental commitments.

The Government keeps all taxes including benefit in kind taxation of electric vehicles under review.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the treatment of electric vehicles under the benefit-in-kind system.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC publishes annual statistics which provide information about the company cars provided as benefits in kind to employees by employers, including the proportion of the company car stock which is electric. The most recent statistics were published in June 2024 for the tax year 2022-23, which showed that 220,000 company cars were fully electric, or 29% of the total company car stock, an increase from 50,000 in 2020-21.

The Government recognises that Company Car Tax Regime and salary sacrifice exemption for ultra-low and zero emission vehicles continues to play an important role in the EV transition. The Government is committed to supporting the transition to electric vehicles, and generous company car tax rates for electric cars have been a key incentive for increasing their number on the road. Electric company cars also play a significant role in supporting the used EV markets. At the end of their lease company cars are sold into the used markets, which is where the majority of car sales take place in the UK.

More widely, the UK has a range of measures to support people to transition to zero emission vehicles, including the plug-in grant for vans and support for charging infrastructure across all of England.

The Government has more recently announced the new Electric Car Grant, which supports drivers to purchase ZEVs with grants of up to £3,750. The grant will help save drivers money and get more of them buying EVs, whilst helping the Government to deliver its environmental commitments.

The Government keeps all taxes including benefit in kind taxation of electric vehicles under review.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent changes to Landfill Tax rates on chemical manufacturing operations in Teesside.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support the Government’s circular economy objectives. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from the chemical manufacturing sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many e-bikes have been imported from China in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK which includes data on imports of e-bikes. HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited Official Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com).

From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria.

Classification codes (according to the Harmonised System) are available to assist you in accessing published trade statistics data in the UK Global Tariff. Goods moving to and from the UK are identified by commodity codes. These are publicly available from the UK Trade Tariff at https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff. E-bikes are classified within commodity codes 87116010 and 87116090. However, these commodity codes will also include similar types of electric transportation such as e-scooters.

If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the barriers to access finance for purchasing cars.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government recognises the critical role the motor finance market plays in allowing people to own their own vehicle. The government is engaging with a broad range of stakeholders to monitor issues in the motor finance market.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to increase the age cap on the opening of Lifetime ISAs.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

On the Government LISA contribution, LISA holders can receive a generous 25% government bonus on contributions up to £4,000 per year. This means an individual who made the full contribution would receive a £1,000 bonus from the Government.

On the age limits, the LISA is designed to encourage younger people to get into the habit of saving for the longer-term. Individuals who did not open a LISA before the age of 40 are still able to save in another ISA type and benefit from the annual subscription limit of £20,000. They can also contribute to a pension, where their contributions will generally receive significant tax relief from the Government.

Those who opened a LISA before their 40^th birthday can continue to subscribe until they are 50 and can continue managing their account beyond that date. This includes transferring the account to another LISA manager and changing their investment profile from cash to stocks and shares or vice versa.

The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review, and considers all representations made carefully, with any changes made as part of the Budget process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to increase the Government contribution to savings in Lifetime ISAs.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

On the Government LISA contribution, LISA holders can receive a generous 25% government bonus on contributions up to £4,000 per year. This means an individual who made the full contribution would receive a £1,000 bonus from the Government.

On the age limits, the LISA is designed to encourage younger people to get into the habit of saving for the longer-term. Individuals who did not open a LISA before the age of 40 are still able to save in another ISA type and benefit from the annual subscription limit of £20,000. They can also contribute to a pension, where their contributions will generally receive significant tax relief from the Government.

Those who opened a LISA before their 40^th birthday can continue to subscribe until they are 50 and can continue managing their account beyond that date. This includes transferring the account to another LISA manager and changing their investment profile from cash to stocks and shares or vice versa.

The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review, and considers all representations made carefully, with any changes made as part of the Budget process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she has taken to support the restaurant sector in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the vital role that hospitality businesses such as restaurants and pubs play in supporting the UK’s economy and communities, including in Romford.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that small hospitality businesses benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

In addition, we

• increased the Employment Allowance to £10,500 which should benefit small Romford pubs and restaurants;
• established the Licensing Taskforce and issued a call for evidence on a National Licensing Policy Framework which will set out national direction for licensing authorities to consider economic growth and cultural value,
• introduced the English Devolution Bill, which will protect hospitality businesses from upward only rent clauses, and;
• are introducing a strong new ‘Community Right to Buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets – such as pubs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she has taken to support the pub sector in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the vital role that hospitality businesses such as restaurants and pubs play in supporting the UK’s economy and communities, including in Romford.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that small hospitality businesses benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

In addition, we

• increased the Employment Allowance to £10,500 which should benefit small Romford pubs and restaurants;
• established the Licensing Taskforce and issued a call for evidence on a National Licensing Policy Framework which will set out national direction for licensing authorities to consider economic growth and cultural value,
• introduced the English Devolution Bill, which will protect hospitality businesses from upward only rent clauses, and;
• are introducing a strong new ‘Community Right to Buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets – such as pubs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she was first informed by officials in her Department that the Office for Budget Responsibility was likely to conduct a review of their productivity forecasts.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The OBR regularly reviews its forecast assumptions. As set out in its latest annual Forecast Evaluation Report, published in July 2025, the OBR noted that they are "currently conducting our regular summer supply stocktake, which involves research into our potential output forecast and its components."

As the Government’s independent official forecaster, the OBR has full discretion over the judgements underpinning its forecasts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to collect regional data on the use of the Lifetime ISA.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

While HMRC does collect data on regional breakdown of Lifetime ISA account holders, the data quality is not sufficient to provide accurate regional breakdowns or produce statistics.

In HMRC’s response to the recent Treasury Select Committee’s LISA enquiry (link), a regional breakdown was provided of where homes were bought using LISA’s:

HMRC LISA enquiry response - Tables 1, 2 and 3.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when was she first informed by the Office for Budget Responsibility that they planned to review the Government's productivity forecasts.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The OBR regularly reviews its forecast assumptions. As set out in its latest annual Forecast Evaluation Report, published in July 2025, the OBR noted that they are "currently conducting our regular summer supply stocktake, which involves research into our potential output forecast and its components."

As the Government’s independent official forecaster, the OBR has full discretion over the judgements underpinning its forecasts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she is taking to help (a) reduce inflation and (b) increase average annual earnings in the West Midlands.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government have been clear that inflation has been too slow to come down, and the priority it is placing on tackling the cost of living, as part of its mission to grow living standards.

The Bank of England has the responsibility for controlling inflation through monetary policy. The Government fully supports them as they take action to return inflation sustainably to 2%. Maintaining stable public finances and reducing borrowing over time will help to ease pressure on prices. Economic growth will help to increase earnings across the UK, including in the West Midlands.

The government’s fiscal strategy is to put the public finances on a sustainable path while prioritising investment to support long-term growth and meeting the fiscal rules.

The Chancellor has also asked departments to look at what action on inflation can be taken when developing policies for the Autumn Budget, while ensuring decisions support stability and long-term growth.

The Government has committed to £160m of funding over 10 years for the West Midlands Investment Zone, which local partners expect to generate £3.5bn in private sector investment, deliver 30,000 jobs and support higher earnings in the area.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the application of Vehicle Excise Duty on (a) new and (b) existing electric vehicles from 1 April 2025 on the (i) affordability and (ii) trends in the level of ownership of (A) electric and (B) zero emission vehicles.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. As announced by the Government at Autumn Statement 2022, from April 2025, zero emission and hybrid cars, vans and motorcycles now pay VED in a similar way to petrol and diesel vehicles. Revenue from motoring taxes helps ensure we can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect.

The Tax Information and Impact Note published alongside Autumn Finance Bill 2022 estimated the impact on zero emission vehicle take-up of the measure to be ‘minimal’. It can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025

The Government is committed to supporting the transition to zero emission vehicles. On 15 July the Government announced a major boost to the electric vehicle transition with the introduction of the £650m Electric Car Grant, supporting drivers purchasing zero emission vehicles with grants of up to £3,750.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support adults with debt difficulties in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) average annual earnings and (b) prices on household disposable income in 2024-25.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per capita is a measure of UK living standards, representing the total disposable income per person in the UK, net of taxes and inflation. RHDI per capita grew by 3.1% over 2024. This is the largest calendar year increase since 2015.

Average whole economy total pay growth in 2024 was 5.3%. Inflation, as measured by CPI, fell to 2.5% in 2024, which supported RHDI growth in 2024.

HM Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy. Forecasts, including for real household disposable income, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). These forecasts are published by the OBR as part of its Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). In the March 2025 EFO, the OBR forecasted that RHDI per capita would grow by 1.7% in 2025, supported by strong annual earnings growth outweighing the impact from prices.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on levels of business (a) investment and (b) closures in Wales.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) announced at Autumn Budget 2024. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) fuel duty, (b) Clean Air Zone charges and (c) Direct Vision Standard requirements on London-based (a) haulage and (b) coach operators.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

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 temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses across the country, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Responsibility for policy decisions as regards Clean Air Zones (CAZs) lie with Local Authorities, who have the autonomy to decide whether to impose measures to address air quality in their local area. In London this power lies with the Mayor. This Government believes that decisions of this sort are for local authorities to make and that it is not for central government to dictate what is, or isn’t, right for their areas.

Local Authorities are required by statute to promote road safety, including undertaking collision/casualty data analysis and devising programmes, training and publicity that will improve road safety. Measures such as TfL's 'Direct Vision Standards' and other local road safety programmes are a matter devolved to the Mayor of London who is responsible for the safety of London's roads.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of fuel duty increases on (a) the cost of living and (b) consumer prices in London.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

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 temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses across the country, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Responsibility for policy decisions as regards Clean Air Zones (CAZs) lie with Local Authorities, who have the autonomy to decide whether to impose measures to address air quality in their local area. In London this power lies with the Mayor. This Government believes that decisions of this sort are for local authorities to make and that it is not for central government to dictate what is, or isn’t, right for their areas.

Local Authorities are required by statute to promote road safety, including undertaking collision/casualty data analysis and devising programmes, training and publicity that will improve road safety. Measures such as TfL's 'Direct Vision Standards' and other local road safety programmes are a matter devolved to the Mayor of London who is responsible for the safety of London's roads.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of customers accessing pensions prior to the Autumn Budget 2025; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of media coverage of the Budget on pension adequacy throughout retirement.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on media speculation ahead of Budgets nor collect real-time data on the number of individuals accessing their pensions.

Taking unplanned steps in respect of an individual’s pension may not be in their long-term financial interest. Individuals should get suitable professional advice, including from a regulated financial adviser.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the number of grassroots music venues that will be affected by the new higher multiplier rate of retail, hospitality and leisure relief; and what assessment her Department has made of how they will be affected.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible grassroots music venues benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government is sustainably funding this by introducing a higher tax rate on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support grassroots music venues which will have higher business rates under the new multiplier.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible grassroots music venues benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government is sustainably funding this by introducing a higher tax rate on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Digital Services Tax; and whether she plans to review the rate at which it is set.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Decisions on tax are a matter for the Chancellor and any changes will be announced at the budget in the usual way.

The Digital Services Tax is an interim solution to widely held concerns with the international corporate tax framework, and the UK remains committed to remove it once a global solution on the reallocation of taxing rights is in place.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the level of the Digital Services Tax.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Decisions on tax are a matter for the Chancellor and any changes will be announced at the budget in the usual way.

The Digital Services Tax is an interim solution to widely held concerns with the international corporate tax framework, and the UK remains committed to remove it once a global solution on the reallocation of taxing rights is in place.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employment tribunal claims have been lodged against her Department by (a) unfair dismissal and (b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 in each of the last five years.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury collects data on the overall number of employment tribunal claims but this data is not categorised, so it is not possible to provide data on how many claims were brought in respect of unfair dismissal or under the Equality Act (2010) in each of the last five years.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase to the Energy Profits Levy announced in the Autumn Statement 2024 on (a) investment, (b) employment and (c) operations in the oil and gas sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Budget 2024 the government confirmed that from 1 November 2024, the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) rate would increase by 3 percentage points to 38%, the EPL investment allowance would be abolished, and the EPL decarbonisation allowance rate would be adjusted to 66%. The government also confirmed an extension to the period the levy applies from 31 March 2029 until 31 March 2030. To support jobs in future and existing industries, including in the supply chain, the government decided to make no additional changes to the availability of capital allowances in the EPL. Following these changes the overall level of tax relief available to the oil and gas sector for capital investments is £84.25 for every £100 of investment, with additional relief available for decarbonisation expenditure.

At the time of the announcements the government carefully considered the impact of these EPL changes. The summary of impacts for these changes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-profits-levy-reforms-2024.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of HMRC mileage rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Approved Mileage Allowance Payment rates are used by employers to reimburse an employee's expenses, tax free, for business mileage in their private vehicle. These rates are also used by self-employed drivers to claim tax relief on business mileage (when using simplified motoring expenses), and can be used by organisations to reimburse volunteers who use their own vehicle for voluntary purposes.

Employees can claim up to 45p/mile for the first 10,000 miles annually, followed by up to 25p/mile thereafter. An additional 5p/mile can be claimed for each passenger transported.

The AMAP rates are not mandatory, and employers can choose to pay more or less than the AMAP rate. It is therefore ultimately up to employers to determine the rate at which they reimburse their employees.

The Government keeps all taxes under review and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is her policy to protect accrued pension rights when changing the tax treatment of pensions.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on media speculation ahead of Budgets nor collect real-time data on the number of individuals accessing their pensions.

Taking unplanned steps in respect of an individual’s pension may not be in their long-term financial interest. Individuals should get suitable professional advice, including from a regulated financial adviser.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing VAT to to medicines provided free under Early Access Medicines Scheme programmes on pharmaceutical companies.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

I refer the honourable member to the answer that I gave to PQ UIN: 87051.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what percentage of small cider producers produce less than five hectolitres of pure alcohol and are exempt from alcohol duty payments.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Alcohol duty on all products collectively raises over £12bn a year, helping to fund vital public services as well as reduce harmful drinking.

The 2023 alcohol duty reforms brought much greater consistency of treatment between different types of alcohol. The reforms also increased duty on cider above 4.5% ABV, particularly targeting high-strength white ciders that have been linked to harmful drinking.

HMRC plans to evaluate the impact of these reforms three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023, and the Government welcomes evidence from industry on the impact of the changes so far.

HMRC does not collect data on cidermakers producing less than 5 hectolitres of pure alcohol in a year. This is because, as per Section 5.2 of the Alcoholic products technical guide, producers are not required to submit a return if they produced 5 hectolitres or less of alcohol in the previous year and have estimated that they will produce 5 hectolitres or less of alcohol in the current year, across all premises. More information on the Alcoholic products technical guide can be found here:
Alcoholic products technical guide - Section 5 — returns and payments - Guidance - GOV.UK

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of equalising cider and beer duty.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Alcohol duty on all products collectively raises over £12bn a year, helping to fund vital public services as well as reduce harmful drinking.

The 2023 alcohol duty reforms brought much greater consistency of treatment between different types of alcohol. The reforms also increased duty on cider above 4.5% ABV, particularly targeting high-strength white ciders that have been linked to harmful drinking.

HMRC plans to evaluate the impact of these reforms three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023, and the Government welcomes evidence from industry on the impact of the changes so far.

HMRC does not collect data on cidermakers producing less than 5 hectolitres of pure alcohol in a year. This is because, as per Section 5.2 of the Alcoholic products technical guide, producers are not required to submit a return if they produced 5 hectolitres or less of alcohol in the previous year and have estimated that they will produce 5 hectolitres or less of alcohol in the current year, across all premises. More information on the Alcoholic products technical guide can be found here:
Alcoholic products technical guide - Section 5 — returns and payments - Guidance - GOV.UK

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to publish its response to proposals submitted by the fuels sector on the inclusion of refined oil products in the scope of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From 2027, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to imported goods from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron & steel sectors. When considering which sectors should be included in the scope of the CBAM, the government looked primarily at three factors: inclusion in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), carbon leakage risk, and feasibility and effectiveness of applying the CBAM.

Whilst the refining of fuel is within scope of the UK ETS and is considered at risk of carbon leakage, there are concerns about the sector’s ability to ascertain the carbon content of imported goods at a product level due to high levels of co-production in the sector. Therefore, refined oil products will not be included in the scope of the CBAM from January 2027.

The sectoral scope of the CBAM will be kept under review beyond 2027 as new evidence comes to light to reflect methodological and technological advances.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress her Department has made on considering the inclusion of refined oil products in the scope of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From 2027, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to imported goods from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron & steel sectors. When considering which sectors should be included in the scope of the CBAM, the government looked primarily at three factors: inclusion in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), carbon leakage risk, and feasibility and effectiveness of applying the CBAM.

Whilst the refining of fuel is within scope of the UK ETS and is considered at risk of carbon leakage, there are concerns about the sector’s ability to ascertain the carbon content of imported goods at a product level due to high levels of co-production in the sector. Therefore, refined oil products will not be included in the scope of the CBAM from January 2027.

The sectoral scope of the CBAM will be kept under review beyond 2027 as new evidence comes to light to reflect methodological and technological advances.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing fuel duty on (a) consumer price inflation and (b) household living costs.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

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 temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential economic merits of public investment in essential utility infrastructure in remote rural communities.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The government’s number one priority is driving economic growth to boost living standards in every part of the country. The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy confirmed we will fund at least £725 billion for infrastructure over the next decade. This includes significant investment in essential utility infrastructure. The government is changing the Green Book and how it is used to make sure that every region gets a fair hearing when it comes to investment.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2024 to Question 13425 on Budget October 2024, whether its definition of working people has changed.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

A working person is someone who goes out to work and works for their income.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42630 on Employers' Contributions: Welsh Government, what mechanism her Department will use to provide compensation for public services in Wales for the increase in employers’ National Insurance contribution costs after 2025/26.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Welsh Government’s budget is growing in real terms between 2024-25 and 2028-29 and their Spending Review settlement is the largest in real terms since devolution in 1998. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support with the changes to employer National Insurance.

The devolved governments received funding through the Barnett formula in 2025-26, including on this support. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether future compensation funding provided to the Welsh Government for increased National Insurance contributions costs for the public sector in Wales will cover this cost in full.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Welsh Government’s budget is growing in real terms between 2024-25 and 2028-29 and their Spending Review settlement is the largest in real terms since devolution in 1998. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support with the changes to employer National Insurance.

The devolved governments received funding through the Barnett formula in 2025-26, including on this support. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to provide additional funding for the Warm Homes Plan.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

At the Spending Review in June, this Government committed £13.2 billion to the Warm Homes Plan to cut bills, tackle fuel poverty and accelerate our trajectory towards net zero.

Further details on the Warm Homes Plan, including how funding will be allocated to different schemes is expected to be published within the coming months.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in her Department are recorded as having a (a) mental health condition and (b) physical disability by grade.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury holds data on staff with a disability where this has been shared voluntarily, including staff with a mental health condition and with a physical disability (including a sensory disability), but this is not published.

Information on the number of people declaring a disability by each government department are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. This data was most recently published on 31 March 2025 and can be found in Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the impact of fully implementing the provisions of the Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Act 2024 via secondary legislation on (a) new lending capacity and (b) economic growth.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government is committed to supporting the growth of building societies in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector. As part of this, the government is committed to ensuring that building societies can operate in a modern and supportive legislative environment.

On 14 October 2024, the government introduced two statutory instruments to modernise the 1986 Act. The Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment of Small Business Turnover Limit) Order 2024 came into force on 4 November 2024 and the Building Societies Act 1986 (Modifications) Order 2024 came into force on 6 January 2025.

The government will look to give effect to the powers enabled through the Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Act 2024 in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of access to affordable credit for (a) people and (b) small businesses in the 100 most deprived communities according to the English indices of multiple deprivation 2025 published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 30 October 2025.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that credit, when provided responsibly, supports business growth, and can be crucial for people facing unexpected expenses or managing their cash flow.

The UK has a diverse landscape for credit provision to individuals and businesses, comprising traditional banks, challenger and specialist banks, and non-bank finance providers such as Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs). In 2024, CDFIs and social banks lent £96.7 million to 364 social enterprises, with 67% of this lending directed to the UK’s most disadvantaged areas.

The Government recently published its Financial Inclusion Strategy which sets out an ambitious programme of measures to improve financial inclusion and resilience for people across the UK. In recognition of the important role responsible credit can play for consumers, the strategy includes a focus on access to credit, among other priority issues, with the launch of new funding to support the credit union sector in England and a small sum lending pilot.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to reduce business rates for (a) hospitality businesses, (b) pubs and (c) breweries.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from April 2026. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible RHL businesses, including hospitality venues and pubs, benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Breweries that are wholly or mainly open to visiting members of the public (for instance, mainly used as a bar or for providing tours to the public) will also benefit from the lower multipliers.

The rates of the new multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes, as well as the broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making.

Ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, the Government prevented RHL business rates relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and froze the small business multiplier. By extending the relief, the Government has saved the average pub, with a RV of £16,800, over £3,300.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on ensuring that people with disabilities and without access to mobile phones are not excluded from accessing online quotations and other financial services that require a mobile phone number.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government works closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of the UK’s financial services sector, to ensure that all customers get the right support with their financial products and services.

FCA guidance highlights the actions firms should take to understand the needs of customers who may be vulnerable, such as individuals with a disability, and to consider these needs appropriately. Specifically, the guidance sets out that firms should offer multiple channels of communication to their customers where possible and should ensure these meet the needs of their customers, including individuals with characteristics of vulnerability.

The FCA also introduced the Consumer Duty in July 2023 which raises the standard of care expected from firms for all customers, including those who may be vulnerable. It aims to deliver products and services that offer fair value and are designed to meet customers’ needs and seeks to increase firms’ focus on delivering good outcomes and preventing harm.

In addition, under the Equality Act 2010, all service providers must make reasonable adjustments to ensure their services are accessible to all.

More widely, ensuring all individuals have access to the appropriate financial products and services they need is a key priority for Government. I published the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy on 5^th November, which was developed alongside a Committee of consumer and industry representatives, including the FCA, and sets out a range of interventions to improve financial inclusion for underserved groups across the UK. This includes a focus on the issues of digital inclusion and access to banking, and considers accessibility as a key theme throughout, in recognition of the particular challenges individuals can face in relation to this.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to encourage people aged under 30 to (a) save and (b) invest for retirement.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to incentivising greater saving and investment to help people save for their future goals and build greater financial resilience and to supporting people of all incomes and at all stages of life to save.

The Lifetime ISA is designed to encourage younger people to get into the habit of saving for the longer term. The Help to Save scheme also supports low-income working households to start a long-term savings habit.

The government encourages pension saving through generous tax relief on pension contributions and investment income and growth. These reliefs were worth £78.2bn in 2023/24. Individuals can also save in a range of Individual Savings Accounts each year, such as cash and stocks & shares and any savings income within it is tax free.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of pub closures in the last 12 months; and what fiscal measures she plans to take to support that sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the important role pubs play on our high streets and in community spaces and we want to see them thrive. That’s why the Government is investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify, aiming to support rural communities, create new jobs and services.

In recognition of the economic and cultural importance of pubs, as well as the wider hospitality sector, at Autumn Budget 2024 the Government cut alcohol duty on qualifying draught products by 1.7% in cash terms. This duty reduction, worth over £85m a year, covers approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs and is equivalent to a 1p duty reduction on a typical pint.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with ratable values below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that small hospitality businesses, such as pubs, benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

The Government keeps all areas of the tax system under review. Any changes to the tax system are announced as part of the annual Budget process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of inflation on the Small Business Rate Relief threshold; and whether she plans to bring forward proposals to uprate the threshold in line with inflation.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Business rates raised a reported £26.4bn billion in 2024/25 and make up a quarter of Local Authority core spending power. They support critical local services, including child and adult social care.

Over a third of properties (more than 700,000) with rateable values (RVs) under £12,000 pay no business rates as they receive 100 per cent Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR). An additional c.60,000 properties, with RVs between £12,000 and £15,000, benefit from reduced bills as SBRR tapers.

At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government decided to freeze the small business multiplier (paid by properties with RVs under £51,000) for 2025/26. Together with SBRR, this has protected over a million ratepayers from a 1.6 per cent inflationary bill Increase.

In the Transforming Business Rates: Interim Report, published on 11 September, the Government committed to exploring enhancing SBRR to support business growth and investment.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff left her Department by grade in each of the last five years.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Information on the number of civil servants leaving each government department and organisation by responsibility level for the years 2021 to 2025 is published annually through the ‘Civil Service data browser’ as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Information can be accessed through the Civil Service data browser for 2021 through 2025 at the following web address: https://civil-service-statistics.jdac.service.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 75616 on Business Rates: Local Press, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of the relief for local newspapers in the 2024-25 financial year; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ending the relief from April 2025 on local newspapers.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From April 2017 to 31 March 2025, Eligible newspapers received a £1,500 reduction in their business rates liabilities. This discount applied up to a maximum of one discount per local newspaper title and per property.

The previous government took the decision for this relief to end in March 2025, and the current government has maintained that approach.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government publishes data on the cost of business rates relief.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to the Statement of Funding Policy: Funding the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive, published in June 2025, why they amended their funding policy for agriculture and fisheries funding.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, from 2025-26 the devolved governments will no longer receive a ringfenced addition to the block grant for agriculture and fisheries. Funding for agriculture and fisheries from 2024-25 has been baselined and un-ringfenced in each devolved governments block grant. This is an above population share for the devolved governments.

It is for devolved governments to allocate this funding as they see fit and they are accountable to their devolved legislatures for those decisions. This is a key principle of devolution and this decision respects that.

The Barnett formula will apply to any future changes in UK Government funding from 2025-26 for agriculture and fisheries in the usual way. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements for the devolved governments.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to prepare businesses in the United Kingdom for the introduction of the new EU Customs Code on 1 January 2026.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

On 17 May 2023, the European Commission proposed a revision of the Union Customs Code. The published proposal foresees implementation of some elements from 2028 and is still subject to EU internal procedures; therefore, we cannot comment on the final proposal. However, we are following these suggested reforms closely, and continue to engage with the EU and business, particularly on potential impacts for UK businesses.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many e-scooters have been imported from China in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to join the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and has been actively engaging in negotiations at the UN over a future Framework Convention, including the recent informal sessions for the technical workstreams.

The UK believes that a UN Tax Framework Convention has the potential to further advance international tax cooperation, but to be successful, it needs to be clear in its aims, avoid duplicating initiatives, and seek to secure the broad support and participation of members.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Access to Cash assessment methodology to determine the need for banking hubs in communities.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, will then assess a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions, including Banking Hubs, where it considers a community requires additional cash services.

LINK’s assessment criteria is based on rules set by the FCA. The FCA’s rules require LINK to consider a range of factors in their assessments. This includes travel times to nearby cash facilities and local population demographics, including the levels of vulnerability and the number of elderly people within the community.

Any decisions on changes to LINK’s independent assessment criteria are a matter for LINK, the financial services sector, and for the FCA, which oversees the access to cash regime. We continue to engage closely with all parties to ensure that the process meets the needs of individuals and businesses across the country.

With regards to banking hubs specifically, the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 240 hubs have been announced so far, and over 180 are already open.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans on widening the criteria for establishing additional banking hubs.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. LINK, the independent industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments, will then assess a community’s access to cash needs, and will recommend appropriate solutions, including Banking Hubs, where it considers a community requires additional cash services.

LINK’s assessment criteria is based on rules set by the FCA. The FCA’s rules require LINK to consider a range of factors in their assessments. This includes travel times to nearby cash facilities and local population demographics, including the levels of vulnerability and the number of elderly people within the community.

Any decisions on changes to LINK’s independent assessment criteria are a matter for LINK, the financial services sector, and for the FCA, which oversees the access to cash regime. We continue to engage closely with all parties to ensure that the process meets the needs of individuals and businesses across the country.

With regards to banking hubs specifically, the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 240 hubs have been announced so far, and over 180 are already open.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reducing VAT on labour costs to 10% for the hair and beauty sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26.

Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

No VAT is charged on employment costs themselves, as wages are not subject to VAT. VAT only applies where labour is supplied through an agency or another business-to-business service, and VAT-registered businesses can recover any VAT incurred.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the real-terms freeze in the annual Cash ISA allowance on (a) pensioners and (b) other low-risk savers.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

ISAs incentivise saving and investment by providing generous tax advantages to individual taxpayers. Individuals can save up to £20,000 into an Individual Savings Account (ISA) each year, and any savings income received within an ISA is tax free. In 2022/2023 the average Cash ISA subscription was £5,296.

Along with the Personal Savings Allowance of up to £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers and £500 for higher rate taxpayers, and the Starting Rate for Savings, which allows for tax free savings income of up to £5,000 for those with earned income below £17,570, around 90 per cent of people with savings income pay no tax on that income.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has received information from relevant Departments on their plans to issue remaining (a) Remediable Service Statements and (b) Remedial Pension Saving Statements to all people affected by the McCloud remedy for pubic sector pensions.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The McCloud remedy under the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes are currently implementing the remedy. As part of this, all affected members are receiving a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and some members will also receive a Remediable Pension Savings statement in respect of their annual allowance position during the remedy period.

Scheme managers are responsible for supplying members with these statements and for setting out timetables for sending out the remaining statements. HM Treasury encourages schemes to complete this process as quickly as possible and regularly discusses McCloud remedy progress and timetables with responsible authorities, including the Welsh Government, which has responsibility for the Firefighters’ pension scheme in Wales.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the time taken to issue remaining (a) Remediable Service Statements and (b) Remedial Pension Saving Statements to people affected by the McCloud remedy.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The McCloud remedy under the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes are currently implementing the remedy. As part of this, all affected members are receiving a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and some members will also receive a Remediable Pension Savings statement in respect of their annual allowance position during the remedy period.

Scheme managers are responsible for supplying members with these statements and for setting out timetables for sending out the remaining statements. HM Treasury encourages schemes to complete this process as quickly as possible and regularly discusses McCloud remedy progress and timetables with responsible authorities, including the Welsh Government, which has responsibility for the Firefighters’ pension scheme in Wales.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh government on the (a) implementation of and (b) planned timelines for the McCloud remedy for public sector pensions in Wales.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The McCloud remedy under the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes are currently implementing the remedy. As part of this, all affected members are receiving a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and some members will also receive a Remediable Pension Savings statement in respect of their annual allowance position during the remedy period.

Scheme managers are responsible for supplying members with these statements and for setting out timetables for sending out the remaining statements. HM Treasury encourages schemes to complete this process as quickly as possible and regularly discusses McCloud remedy progress and timetables with responsible authorities, including the Welsh Government, which has responsibility for the Firefighters’ pension scheme in Wales.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to issue remaining (a) Remediable Service Statements and (b) Remedial Pension Saving Statements to people affected by the McCloud remedy.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The McCloud remedy under the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes are currently implementing the remedy. As part of this, all affected members are receiving a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and some members will also receive a Remediable Pension Savings statement in respect of their annual allowance position during the remedy period.

Scheme managers are responsible for supplying members with these statements and for setting out timetables for sending out the remaining statements. HM Treasury encourages schemes to complete this process as quickly as possible and regularly discusses McCloud remedy progress and timetables with responsible authorities, including the Welsh Government, which has responsibility for the Firefighters’ pension scheme in Wales.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that asset managers issuing tokenised investment funds implement robust cybersecurity measures.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy sets out a comprehensive ten-year plan to deliver growth and attract investment. Championing innovation is a key priority within this strategy, and the Government is working closely with industry stakeholders and regulators to remove barriers and unlock opportunities presented by new technologies.

Using distributed ledger technology to tokenise funds could support financial market efficiency by enabling more efficient, real-time data sharing which could lower operational costs and enhance resilience.

The Government has published its Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy, which sets out the key steps the UK has to take to digitalise its financial markets, including through the tokenisation of assets. The Government is taking forward various measures in this space, in particular the Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS). The DSS provides a bespoke regulatory framework that enables firms to test, scale and roll out the tokenisation of securities.

Cyber security is a top priority for the Government, and HM Treasury works with the financial authorities, industry and with international partners to strengthen the financial sector’s resilience to threats and hazards of all origins, including cyber risks. This includes the Financial Conduct Authority, whose cyber security requirements mandate firms to have robust governance, effective systems and controls, and comprehensive incident management and business continuity plans.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the fintech sector, following reports that British firms secured half of the top 10 European fintech investment deals in the third quarter of 2025.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK is a world leader in Fintech, and attracted attracted $3.6 billion of investment in 2024, second only to the US.

The Government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy set out a comprehensive package of reforms to preserve the UK’s leadership in this area. Measures include streamlining the regulatory environment, initiatives to support UK Fintechs to scale up, and steps to accelerate progress in Open Finance and Smart Data.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the annual revenue raised through VAT charged on Remembrance wreaths purchased by (a) local authorities, (b) schools and (c) community organisations.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make representations to HM Treasury on the potential impact of VAT on the affordability of (a) Remembrance wreaths and (b) other commemorative items provided by charities.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that VAT policy does not discourage participation in Remembrance events organised by (a) charities and (b) local authorities.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many performance reviews were undertaken for staff in (a) her Department and (b) its agencies in each of the last five years; in how many cases performance was rated as unsatisfactory or below; how many staff left as a result of such a rating; and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff this represented.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Performance management reviews are conducted in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures within HM Treasury and its agencies. The total number of reviews carried out over the past five years, including those that resulted in a poor performance rating, and the number of staff that left as a result is presented in the table below. We are unable to provide the exact proportion of full-time equivalent staff this represented due to the very small numbers involved, which could risk disclosure of personal information.

Notes:

1. Figures for GIAA refer to the headcount at the end of the financial year as an indicator of the number of year-end reviews held.
2. For GIAA delegated grades, performance markings are not provided because the agency moved away from using formal markings in 2022–23; earlier central records are not readily available.
3. For GIAA central records of poor performance markings are not readily available for this period.
4. For GIAA Senior Civil Service (SCS) and delegated grades, data on staff leaving as a result of poor performance is “unable to disclose” because the numbers are too small (including where the value is zero), which could lead to identification of individuals. For HMT, “fewer than 5” is shown to protect individual confidentiality where the actual number is very small and could lead to identification of staff

DMO

• The DMO has a performance assessment system with 5 categories from Exceptional, Exceeds, Fully Effective, Developing and Must Improve. Although there is no direct read across to the “unsatisfactory” requested in the PQ, we have assessed this as relating to the DMO’s “Must Improve” category.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in her Department (a) did not retain employment following completion of their probationary period and (b) had their probationary period extended in each of the last five years.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Notes:

1. “Fewer than 5” is shown to protect individual confidentiality where the actual number is very small and could lead to identification of staff"

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will review VAT rules to ensure that (a) the purchase of wreaths and (b) other purchases made in support of charitable remembrance activities are not subject to VAT.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served.

Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rightly enjoy generous tax reliefs, worth over £6 billion in 2024, including Gift Aid, exemptions from corporation tax and a number of VAT reliefs to support fund-raising activities. However, where charities sell goods and services, for example charging a set price, and the charity is VAT registered, it must charge VAT unless a VAT relief is available.

HMRC does not hold information on VAT charged on specific products or services. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the Trader Support Service has not used the derogation to delay until 1 January 2026 the commencement of Import Control System 2 for the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

All businesses, including those using the Trader Support Service, have until midnight on 31 December 2025 to onboard onto the Import Control System 2 (ICS2), so they can continue to provide safety and security information for certain goods moving by road to Northern Ireland.

Traders can continue to move goods through the Trader Support Service using ICS NI until 31 December 2025.

The ICS2 system has been available for road movements since 1 April 2025, with operators initially having until 1 September 2025 to onboard to the new system. This has subsequently been extended to 31 December 2025 to give businesses more time to prepare.

HMRC has an extensive communications and engagement plan to support business readiness for the changes, and businesses moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are encouraged to start using ICS2 before 31 December 2025 if they are ready to do so.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of frozen personal tax thresholds on pensioners’ disposable incomes.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The previous government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April

The previous government published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) setting out the impacts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential merits of reversing recent changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury Ministers discuss a range of subjects with Ministers from other departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of HMRC's Child Benefit verification checks on the timelines of Self Assessment tax repayments.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Child Benefit is a non-means tested benefit payable to families as a contribution towards the cost of raising children. It is claimed through the Child Benefit service, which is separate to Self Assessment, so for the majority of families Child Benefit checks should have no impact on the timelines of Self Assessment tax repayments.

There are no further impacts anticipated.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) delays in HMRC Self Assessment tax repayments and (b) the non-fulfilment of published complaint response timeframes on taxpayers awaiting refunds.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC recognise that repayments are important for customers. They prioritise them to ensure they are processed as quickly and securely as possible.

HMRC balance the provision of prompt payments to eligible customers with effective revenue protection from fraudsters.

For Self Assessment repayments, once the repayment is created it goes through automated fraud and compliance checks. In 2024-25, after these checks, 93.1% of the repayments were paid automatically within a few days.

HMRC continues to invest in automation and to review their internal processes to ensure repayments are issued as quickly as possible.

HMRC recognise too the importance of keeping the customer, and where appropriate the customer’s representative, informed of progress, and are exploring ways of doing that more effectively.

In the meantime, HMRC’s online ‘Where’s My Reply’ tool can help customers understand when they can expect to receive a response.

HMRC aim to respond to complaints within six weeks.

In 2024-25, HMRC responded to 73% of new complaints within this timeframe. HMRC are committed to prioritising customer experience and are reviewing their complaints processes. The Adjudicator’s Annual Report was published on 20 October 2025 and HMRC are using the insight in the report to make further improvements.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the household income threshold for childcare support on (a) labour market participation and (b) associated reductions in local economic activity.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Government is committed to providing access to affordable childcare to support parents’ who want to go out to work, and their local economies. This includes rollout of 30 funded hours for working parents from September 2025, which the OBR has estimated would lead to 60,000 more people in employment and 1.5m people increasing their hours.

The income threshold for childcare eligibility ensures that support is targeted towards the families who most need it, and that the system remains fair and sustainable.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference her Department's policy paper entitled Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee – 17 October 2025, what options were discussed for enhancing the fiscal flexibilities available to devolved Governments; what elements of the operation of the Barnett formula were identified as areas which could be improved; and whether a formal review of (a) Wales's fiscal framework and (b) the operation of the Barnett Formula in Wales were discussed.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

It is important that the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee remains a space for confidential discussions between governments, so it would not be appropriate to comment on the detail of those discussions.

I look forward to continued engagement with devolved government finance ministers on a wide range of topics.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered moving the uprating of excise duty from Retail Price Index to Consumer Prices Index.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government confirms tax rates and thresholds annually. In some cases, reflecting the government’s economic and fiscal objectives, they are uprated to account for inflation.

The Office for National Statistics, regulated by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), produces a range of inflation statistics. The most widely used estimates of inflation, both by Government and the private sector, are the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and the Retail Prices Index (RPI)

The Government agrees with UKSA that RPI has flaws, and at times overstates and at times understates changes in prices. RPI’s shortcomings are well-documented. In 2013, as a result of flaws in the way it is measured, RPI lost its status as a National Statistic. Since 2010 the Government has been reducing its use of RPI and has committed to not introduce any new uses of RPI. Further moves away from RPI are complex and more work is required to understand the costs and benefits of any changes.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the press release by the Mineral Products Association entitled Landfill Tax reforms could trigger shortages and damage growth ambitions, published on 28 July 2025.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support the Government’s circular economy objectives. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders on the impact of the proposals, including from representatives of the mineral products sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the (a) Plastic Packaging Tax rate and (b) recycled content requirement to promote domestic recycling.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Plastic Packaging Tax was introduced in April 2022 under the previous government and provides a price incentive for businesses to use recycled plastic in the manufacture of plastic packaging – thereby stimulating the collection and recycling of plastic waste.

All tax rates and thresholds are reviewed at fiscal events.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the tobacco excise regime on smoking prevalence since 2021.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates make tobacco less affordable and are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023 can be found here.

Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to (a) reduce and (b) freeze tobacco excise duty.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government renewed the commitment to a tobacco duty escalator, which increases duty by 2 per cent above RPI inflation at each Budget, until the end of the current Parliament. This is part of the Government’s focus on health prevention and to continue our drive to reduce smoking prevalence.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will commit not to introduce any new taxes which increase the cost of doing business.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At the Budget on 26 November, the government will continue to deliver on the priorities of the British people: cutting NHS waiting lists, cutting the national debt and cutting the cost of living. There will be no return to austerity and we will end the unfairness and low growth that squeezes living standards for working people: that is the path to national renewal.

The Chancellor’s decisions on tax will be announced in the usual way at the Budget.

I do note that the 2023 budget under the Conservative government increased corporation tax on businesses from 19% to 25%.

We do not comment on tax speculation ahead of fiscal events.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Office for Budget Responsibility has made an assessment of the potential impact of levels of tobacco duty on smoking prevalence statistics.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates make tobacco less affordable and are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023 can be found here.

Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to take further steps to reform regulation of the (a) home and (b) travel insurance markets.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government expects that insurers deliver good outcomes to consumers and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. These rules require firms to ensure their products offer fair value. This means the price paid by consumers must be reasonable compared to the benefits they receive. The FCA monitors firms and has robust powers to act against firms that breach its rules.

The government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, published on 5 November 2025, recognises that insurance has an important part to play in financial resilience and wellbeing, and sets out a range of interventions to improve access. This includes a total signposting initiative which will help underserved consumers find insurance policies which meet their needs.

The government also plans to publish the final report of the cross-government Motor Insurance Taskforce in the autumn. As part of the taskforce’s work to understand how the cost of motor insurance impacts on particular groups of customers, the FCA is conducting statistical analysis to evaluate the impacts on different age groups and consumers living in areas with a higher proportion of minority ethnic residents. The FCA will publish its findings later this year.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism mandated by Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1 January 2026 for the period (a) between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026 and (b) from from 1 January 2027 onwards.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) will apply in its definitive regime from January 2026 and does not apply in Northern Ireland.

To support business readiness for the EU CBAM, the Department for Business and Trade offers a comprehensive support package, including the Export Support Service (ESS), webinars, and an upcoming digital explainer on business.gov.uk, signposting to relevant European Commission resources.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on businesses in Northern Ireland in (a) 2026 and (b) 2027; and what steps her Department is taking to help prepare businesses in Northern Ireland for the implementation of that mechanism.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) will apply in its definitive regime from January 2026 and does not apply in Northern Ireland.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to maintain tax relief on pension contributions.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Pensions tax relief is one of the most expensive reliefs in the personal tax system, costing £78.2 billion in 2023/24.

The Government remains committed to encouraging pension saving, to help ensure that people have an income, or funds on which they can draw, throughout retirement.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 84975 on Dance and Music: Finance, what data her Department holds on the number of pupils that have left the independent school sector following the (a) application of VAT to private school fees and (b) removal of business rates charitable rate relief from private schools.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government conducted thorough and detailed analysis of the impacts of the VAT policy and at Autumn Budget 2024 published a Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) which sets out this analysis. This is a comprehensive assessment of the impacts on individuals and families, businesses and the wider economy, as well as equalities impacts. This can be found online here:

VAT on Private School Fees & Removing the Charitable Rate Relief for Private Schools - GOV.UK

Government analysis on the expected impact of the removal of charitable rate relief from private schools in England can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 84975 on Dance and Music: Finance, if she will undertake an updated impact assessment on the (a) application of VAT to private school fees and (b) removal of business rates charitable rate relief from private schools.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government conducted thorough and detailed analysis of the impacts of the VAT policy and at Autumn Budget 2024 published a Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) which sets out this analysis. This is a comprehensive assessment of the impacts on individuals and families, businesses and the wider economy, as well as equalities impacts. This can be found online here:

VAT on Private School Fees & Removing the Charitable Rate Relief for Private Schools - GOV.UK

Government analysis on the expected impact of the removal of charitable rate relief from private schools in England can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of (a) VAT and (b) Insurance Premium Tax exemptions on the affordability of Motability Scheme advance payments.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Motability Scheme allows those eligible for a qualifying mobility allowance to lease a new car, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair. The Motability Scheme receives relief from VAT and Insurance Premium Tax.

The level of advanced payments is commercially determined by the Motability Operations Group, which is independent of Government. A number of vehicles are currently available through Motability without any additional payment beyond the enhanced Mobility component of PIP.

The Government keeps all taxes under review, and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of abolishing the Vehicle Excise Duty exemption for classic cars on owners of (a) classic and (b) heritage vehicles.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.

Found: of substantial cross-government working, between departments such as the Ministry of Justice, HM Treasury

Found: We received a written submission from the Treasury Officer of Accounts at HM Treasury (the Treasury)

Found: ) 61 Q87 62 Ministry of Justice, 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, cp 1219, 11 December 2024 63 HM Treasury

Found: meets monthly and has the delegated authority from the National Elective Programme Board to ensure the HMT

Found: This approach is supported by HMT and the NAO.

Found: Business Case, Full Business Case (FBC), or Programme Business Case within four months of receiving HM Treasury

Found: Joshua Reddaway, Director, National Audit Office, and Edward Pinney, Alternate Officer of Accounts, HM Treasury

Found: Joshua Reddaway, Director, National Audit Office, and Edward Pinney, Alternate Officer of Accounts, HM Treasury

Found: Business Case, Full Business Case (FBC), or Programme Business Case within four months of receiving HM Treasury

Found: HMT confirmed funding (2025/26 to 2028/29) £1.5bn HM Treasury confirmed further MOD funding for assessment

Found: The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), based in HM Treasury, oversees financial

Found: b) HMT has been at the heart of much damage to UK micro and SME business in recent years.

Found: As an organisation, NHBF recognises that HM Treasury is unlikely to be able to deliver a reduction in

Found: HM Treasury should review the way in which businesses are able to access the data held on them by the

Found: Establish an Inter-Ministerial Small Business Growth Council co-chaired by HM Treasury and DBT ministers

Found: administrative hurdles posed which are far disproportionate to the level of risk. 7.2 AAT recommends HM Treasury

Found: A clear example of this would be the growth mission, being owned by HM Treasury but being delivered

Found: recommends establishing a National SME Growth Board, comprising representatives from key departments (DBT, HMT

Found: employers some breathing space as the more HMRC apply pressure the quicker employment will end and HMT

Found: Business Rates 2) We submitted evidence to HM Treasury as part of the ‘Transforming Business Rates’ consultation

Found: entrepreneurship 4 UENI’s 2020 Report on Gender and Small Business 5 Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, HM Treasury

Found: Post Office hopes that the Small Business Strategy, in conjunction with HM Treasury, will take seriously

Found: Monitoring mechanisms should supplement existing data collection and reporting by HMT, the BBB and other

Found: We are also acutely aware of the difficult decisions faced by the FCDO and HM Treasury, and are grateful

Found: We are also acutely aware of the difficult decisions faced by the FCDO and HM Treasury, and are grateful

Found: See also HM Treasury, Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, October 2024, para 5.54 p128 for the Budget report

Found: However, FCDO and HM Treasury have agreed that major asset sales are no longer viable, and, in the 2025

Found: 1989 Regulations, and will typically follow the negative procedure (final procedure to be confirmed by HMT

Found: Regulations, and will typically follow the negative procedure (final procedure to be confirmed by HMT

Found: have further information about these issues from the disclosure exercise carried out by HMRC and HM Treasury

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for (a) voluntary and (b) enforced removal schemes of foreign national offenders in the 2025-26 financial year.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

We will not provide a running commentary on discussions between the Home Office and HMT on in-year funding for removal schemes. The costs associated with voluntary and enforced removals (including foreign national offenders) are varied. The total amount spent on returning people in the 2025/26 financial year will be published in the Home Office annual report and accounts in Summer 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82998 on HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Grant Scheme, what plans she has for (a) unspent and (b) returned grant funding; and whether those monies will be (i) retained for driver welfare improvements and (ii) reallocated elsewhere within her Department’s budget.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As set out in my response to Question 85923, underspent specific budgets are reallocated to other priorities within DfT where possible. Any departmental underspend at the end of the financial year is returned to HMT.

Under the terms of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Grant Scheme there is no provision for returned funding from operators. The Department issues payment for the monies operators claim only once the Department has reviewed appropriate evidence of the completed stages of works.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2025 to Question 76050 on Lobbying: Official Hospitality, whether the donation in kind of (a) a venue and (b) hospitality from a lobbying firm hosting a Departmental reception should be declared by the Department in their annual accounts; and whether a proportion should be declared by a Minister in their monthly transparency return on gov.uk.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Guidance on what should be published in a department's Annual Reports and Accounts is published by HM Treasury in the Government Financial Reporting Manual. Guidance on what should be declared by a Minister in their monthly gifts and hospitality transparency return is published by the Cabinet Office. Both documents are available on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on increasing the grant-in-aid funding available to (a) cultural institutions, (b) museums and (c) galleries.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Secretary of State has had constructive conversations with HM Treasury to secure grant-in-aid funding for our institutions.

These successful conversations were borne out in February 2025, when we announced a £270m Arts Everywhere Investment package that included a 5% increase to the budgets of all national museums and galleries to support their financial resilience.

And as per our most recent Spending Review settlement announced in June 2025, there is significant planned funding for the UK’s world-leading culture and heritage sector. We will be investing in celebrated institutions including national museums and galleries, as well as organisations like Arts Council England, which support local projects across the country and ensure that the best of British culture is accessible to all.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total amount of unspent funds from the Apprenticeship Levy returned to the Treasury for each of the past five years.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions, and prior to that the Department for Education, has responsibility for apprenticeships in England only. The annual English apprenticeships budget is agreed at key fiscal events and ring-fenced. This budget is distinct from the total levy receipts collected by HM Treasury and the funds in employers’ apprenticeship service accounts.

The English apprenticeship budget covers the spend drawn down by all levy-paying employers, as well as apprenticeships for those who do not pay the levy, the costs of English and maths tuition for apprentices, and additional payments to employers, training providers and apprentices. It also covers the administrative costs of running the apprenticeships programme.

Over the past two financial years the English apprenticeships budget has been almost fully spent. The table below provides details of the English apprenticeships budget. As is usual practice, any underspends in overall departmental budgets by the end of the financial year are returned to HMT as per the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance.

*The 2023-24 annual apprenticeship budget was revised in-year from £2,585 million to £2,525 million, as £60 million was surrendered in-year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department holds (a) final business cases and (b) data protection impact assessments for (i) the Gov.uk One Login programme and (ii) other digital identity schemes.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

GOV.UK One Login has a full business case which has been approved by the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury ministers. GOV.UK One Login has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), which we continue to develop with any new identity verification journeys. A business case and DPIA are currently being conducted for the GOV.UK Wallet.

The Government has announced plans for a new digital ID to be available to UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over. We will consult and engage on the practical operation of the scheme and the data structures underpinning it, as it is developed.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total sum raised so far by the introduction of VAT on independent school fees, and how many extra teachers have been recruited as a result.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees.

The TIIN estimates that, accounting for the spending implications of any pupil movement into the state sector, the policy is expected to raise £1.7 billion per annum by 2029/30.

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