Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release entitled Government modernises exam records with new app, published on 8 January 2026, how the £30m savings figure was estimated; and what the average saving for a state secondary school is estimated to be.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The £30 million saving in the education sector is based on reducing administrative processes in further education and apprenticeships. Extensive user research with colleges identified activities that could be eliminated or streamlined, including photocopying documentation, manually matching emails with applications, and reducing data entry and correction through improved quality. Other efficiencies include removing support time for paperwork, eliminating manual searches for unique learner numbers and reducing checks on prior attainment to simplify enrolment for mathematics and English. These changes will also reduce delays caused by missing documentation and cut follow-up activities linked to incomplete records. Due to the nature of the calculation, the department has not estimated a saving per secondary school.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) business rates revaluation and (b) the new multiplier bands from April 2026 on Further Education colleges.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the potential of (a) business rates revaluation and (b) the new multiplier bands from April 2026 on (i) NHS hospitals (ii) other NHS facilities and (ii) facilities of other services contracted to the NHS.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No additional funding has been made to National Health Service hospital trusts as a result of business rates revaluation and the new multiplier bands from April 2026. However, the Government uses the Market Forces Factor (MFF) within the NHS payment scheme to account for the higher business rates that providers in high-value areas pay. This mechanism adjusts resource allocations to ensure fairness across different regions. So increased costs will feed into the MFF and allocations.

NHS England has not made an assessment of the business rates revaluation and the new multiplier bands on the NHS. However, NHS England does have regular conversations with NHS hospitals to understand their financial position against the plan and will work with them to address any specific issues raised.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding for NHS hospital trusts will be adjusted as a result of business rates revaluation and the new multiplier bands from April 2026.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No additional funding has been made to National Health Service hospital trusts as a result of business rates revaluation and the new multiplier bands from April 2026. However, the Government uses the Market Forces Factor (MFF) within the NHS payment scheme to account for the higher business rates that providers in high-value areas pay. This mechanism adjusts resource allocations to ensure fairness across different regions. So increased costs will feed into the MFF and allocations.

NHS England has not made an assessment of the business rates revaluation and the new multiplier bands on the NHS. However, NHS England does have regular conversations with NHS hospitals to understand their financial position against the plan and will work with them to address any specific issues raised.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her reference to warehouses in the Budget statement, Hansard 26 November 2025, Col 395, in relation to Business Rates was referring to Valuation Office Agency Special Category Code 151.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The reference to warehouses in the Chancellor's Budget speech relates to all warehouses with rateable values of £500k and above, including those in the Valuation Office Agency Special Category Code 151.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential of business rates revaluation and the new multiplier bands from April 2026 on (a) hotels, (b) Sports & Leisure Centres, (c) theatres, (d) live music venues and (e) other sectors.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest

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.

Found: Q106 Damian Hinds: Why hasn’t it happened?

Found: Q106 Damian Hinds: Why hasn’t it happened?

Found: I attach Damian Hinds MP's previous reply to Steve Reed MP's Parliamentary Question (UIN 112089, tabled