Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the National Wealth Fund operates a salary sacrifice scheme for its Defined Contribution staff pension offering.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund does not operate a salary sacrifice scheme in respect of its Defined Contribution staff pension offering. Details of the National Wealth Fund’s pension offering are set out in the Remuneration Report within its Annual Report and Accounts, which can be accessed here: https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/media/wpxnswqx/e03371942_nwf-ara-24-25_accessible_2.pdf
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data (a) her department and (b) NISTA holds on the number of central government PFI contracts which necessitate the underlying asset remaining in the ownership of the PFI contractor at the end of the contract.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury, which includes NISTA, publishes aggregate information on PFI and PF2 projects annually.
In line with guidance, any arrangements which necessitate the underlying asset remaining in the ownership of the PFI contractor at the end of the contract would be the exception. Information on such cases is not collated centrally by HM Treasury.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2025, to Question 98794, on Mission Boards, who the internal and external members are of the Growth Mission Board.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor heads the Growth Mission Board. The membership is flexible, at the Chancellor's discretion, with internal and external attendees determined based on their relevance to the agenda.
It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees - including mission boards - including their attendance, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026, to Question 105552, on Budget November 2025: Disclosure of Information, if she will publish the terms of reference to (a) the leak inquiry and (b) Permanent Secretary’s review into Budget security.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The scope of both a) the leak inquiry and b) the Permanent Secretary’s review will be set out when the outcomes of the Budget Information Security review are published, the aim of which is to conclude in advance of the Spring Statement on 3 March.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, (b) UK Financial Investments and (c) other Ministers were involved in the disposal of RBS Sempra Commodities to JP Morgan in the 2009-10 financial year.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Public records of HM Treasury ministerial meetings are available from May 2010 onwards. HM Treasury has also conducted a proportionate search of its archives for the relevant period and has found no evidence of correspondence or meetings between Jeffrey Epstein and Treasury ministers, or any Treasury officials, in relation to this sale, or on any other matter.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the evidential basis is for the Office for Value for Money making almost £14 billion of annual efficiency gains by 2028-29 against planned day-to-day budgets for 2025-26.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The OVfM has supported departments to develop bespoke technical efficiency targets, underpinned by credible delivery plans. In total, the government identified efficiencies of almost £14 billion a year by 2028-29.
The OVfM’s approach was guided by three principles, which together will deliver a sustainable outcome. First, it has placed greater focus on improving outcomes not just reducing costs. It has achieved this by clearly distinguishing between technical efficiencies (delivering more output for the same input, or the same output for less input) and stopping activities (reducing outputs). This is in line with the Government Efficiency Framework definition of a technical efficiency. Second, it has aimed to increase confidence in the deliverability of efficiencies, by working with departments to develop bespoke targets underpinned by credible plans. Third, it has supported greater transparency by publishing departments’ targets and plans, allowing external scrutiny and public accountability.
Further detail on the basis for departments’ targets and plans can be found in the Departmental Efficiency Delivery Plans document published at Spending Review 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-efficiency-delivery-plans.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2024 to Question 54793 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, what proportion of the costs will come from the (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office budgets.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The payments to Mauritius will be split between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Ministry of Defence. They will be published in the normal manner alongside other departmental spend in the annual accounts.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has a target for the number of staff it plans to employ over the period of the Spending Review.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Department’s SR settlement of a 10% real terms reduction to admin budgets by 2028-29 means HM Treasury will need to get smaller, necessitating a reduction in resource in some areas. Headcount reductions will be subject to future business planning where the department will take decisions on how the savings will be delivered.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to (a) amend and (b) review the definitions of (i) defence and (ii) national security spending, for the purposes of (A) statistical and (B) NATO targets.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
NATO has a common definition of defence expenditure which is agreed by all NATO Allies. A full definition can be found here:
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49198.htm
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Minister for the Cabinet Office's Oral Statement of 24 June 2025 on the National Security Strategy, Official Report, columns 974-76, what estimate he has made of the proportion of GDP spent on broader resilience and security spending in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The National Security Strategy 2025 was published on 24 June 2025. It confirms that by combining an increase in funding with recognition of the vital contribution the Single Intelligence Account plays to our national defence, the UK will spend 2.6% on NATO qualifying defence spending from 2027. This will be considered core spending.
NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It will include investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.
Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.