Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the total cost of resolving all remaining Loan Charge cases broken down by (a) the 32,000 individual cases currently unsettled, (b) cases involving HMRC demand from before December 2021 and (c) all demands from after April 2019.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2024, the Government committed to a new independent review of the loan charge. The purpose of the review was to bring the matter to a close for people who have not settled and paid their Loan Charge liabilities.
The Government has accepted all but one of the Review’s recommendations, and in some areas has gone further. The Government has introduced legislation in the Finance Act to provide for a generous new settlement offer which it hopes maximises the opportunity for individuals to come forward and settle. I am committed to deliver the Government’s ambition to bring this matter to a close for as many customers as possible.
Whilst HMRC assesses the overall resources needed to carry out Loan Charge compliance activity, this is not based on detailed case-by-case forecasts. HMRC is required to collect tax due under the law. The progression and resolution of Loan Charge cases depend on a range of variable and often uncertain factors. These include the extent to which taxpayers choose to engage with HMRC to settle their enquiries.
In line with most tax policy changes, Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) setting out HMRC’s assessment of the impacts of the Loan Charge were published when the Loan Charge was announced in 2016. Further TIINs were published alongside subsequent changes to the Loan Charge.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Lifetime ISA property cap threshold for (a) England and (b) St Albans constituency.
Answered by Rachel Blake - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Data from the latest UK House Price Index shows that while the average price paid by first-time buyers has increased, it is still below the LISA property price cap in all regions of the UK except for London, where the average price paid is affected by boroughs with very high property values.
At Autumn Budget 2025, the Government announced that it will consult on introducing a new, first-time buyer only savings product that will provide the bonus when a person uses it to buy a house, giving savers flexibility in case their circumstances change. Details of the new scheme will be set out as part of the consultation in due course.
The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 99813 on Business Rates: Tax Allowances, how many and what proportion of ratepayers who will see no increases were eligible for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief in 2025-26.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Over half of all ratepayers will see no bill increases from the 2026 business rates revaluation, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Furthermore, most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less in 2026/27, or £800 for the smallest.
The Government has introduced new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties. The RHL multipliers are being paid for through a high-value multiplier on the top one per cent of most expensive properties, including many large distribution warehouses, such as those used by online giants.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March to Question 118384 on Hybrid Vehicles: Excise Duties, whether she has considered the potential merits of allowing those PHEV drivers who (a) opt in to doing so and (b) have vehicles with the technical means to record miles driven in electric or petrol mode, to submit accurate returns to allow eVED to be paid only on those miles not already subject to fuel duty.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As announced at Budget 2025, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) will be subject to a reduced electric Vehicle Excise Duty rate of 1.5 pence per mile upon its introduction in April 2028 – half the rate that will apply to fully electric cars. This approach recognises that PHEVs have the capacity to drive in either electric or petrol mode and strikes the right balance between fairness, protecting motorists’ privacy and minimising administrative burdens on motorists.
The government recognises that the large majority of EVs and PHEVs have in-built vehicle telematics, which monitor various driving activities and are viewable by drivers, vehicle manufacturers, or permitted third parties in some cases.
The government will not mandate use of these telematics for administering eVED; however, it welcomed views in the consultation on how various types of technologies could be used on an opt-in basis in future to simplify the system and reduce administrative burdens on motorists and businesses.
The consultation closed on 18 March 2026. The Government will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of guaranteeing access to free banking services for small charitable groups at (a) Post Office branches and (b) banking hubs.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Charities and community groups make a valuable contribution across the country, and it is important that they can access suitable banking services in person and online.
Decisions about the provision of banking services, and associated fees, are primarily commercial matters for banks who must meet strict financial crime and customer due diligence obligations. Charities and community groups often have more complex account structures (for example, multiple trustees), making their banking needs more expensive and operationally demanding, which may explain the fees applied.
It is important for charities to shop around to ensure they pick the most appropriate banking product for their needs. UK Finance worked closely with the charity sector and Government to produce an ‘Account Finder’ tool designed exclusively for charities and voluntary organisations so they can browse providers and accounts easily, including their charges.
The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open.
Banking hubs provide personal and business customers with access to everyday counter services, including cash withdrawals and deposits, balance enquiries and bill payments. They also contain dedicated rooms where all customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out other banking services as they would in a traditional bank branch.
The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, and pay bills at over 10,000 of Post Office branches across the UK. Fees for these services remain a commercial decision for the bank providing the account.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many public houses in England and Wales did the Valuation Office Agency request trading figures from for the purposes of calculating their Fair Maintainable Turnover for the 2026 ratings list.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office Agency requested trading information from approximately 37,000 public houses for the 2026 Revaluation.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January to Question 105303 on Business Rates: Valuation, with reference to the oral evidence from Jonathan Russell and John-Paul Marks to the Treasury Select Committee of 13 January 2026, how many data drops of ratings (a) information and (b) analysis did her department receive from the VOA in each month since January 2025.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The VOA share data with MHCLG as part of the policy development process.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the letter from the Leader of the House of Commons of 15 January 2026, reference AC/MP1190, on what date her Department plans to respond to hon. Member for St Albans.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I will write to you as soon as practicably possible.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 90360 on Business Rates, when the Valuation Office Agency provided the draft valuations for the 2026 Rating List to her Department.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury does not receive the full ratings list, as that would require data on named individual businesses to be shared, which would impact taxpayer confidentiality.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her department has had with Amazon on its proposal to support the collection of £700 million in VAT receipts from online marketplace sellers operating overseas.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Since 1 January 2021 overseas sellers, or online marketplaces where they facilitate the sale, are required to be registered and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value.
The changes were introduced to ensure a level playing field for UK high street and online retailers, ensure the continued flow of goods at the border and improve compliance. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the changes, together with the abolishment of Low Value Consignment relief, will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27.
The Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders as part of the policy making process.