Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.76 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, when the next bi-annual fiscal forum with the Oil and Gas sector will take place; where that forum will take place; and who will attend on behalf of the Government.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is committed to maintaining an open and constructive dialogue with the oil and gas sector to support our energy security and ensure the sector plays its role in our clean energy ambitions.
In line with this I will chair the next Oil and Gas Fiscal Forum in the first quarter of next year. The date and location of the forum has not yet been confirmed.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Capital Gains Tax: Rates of tax — carried interest, published on 30 October 2024, what the evidential basis is for the cost of implementing a one year increase to Capital Gains Tax.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The published operational costs represent a high-level cost estimate for the changes required to HMRC IT systems to deliver this policy change which follow a recognised standard methodology. HMRC do not provide detailed costs related to policy changes.
Separately, the revenue impacts of the changes to the rates of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on carried interest from 6 April 2025 are included in the costings published in the main Autumn Budget 2024 document.
The CGT changes are the first step of a reform package that will put the tax treatment of carried interest on a fairer and sustainable footing, while preserving the competitiveness of the UK as a fund management fund. From 6 April 2026, the carried interest tax regime will move fully across to the Income Tax framework; this will be legislated in a future Finance Bill, which the House will have the opportunity to consider.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the number of people who are employed to deliver public services by private sector organisations that have been contracted for this purpose by Government Departments.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office does not hold information on the estimated number of people employed by private sector organisations contracted by Government Departments to deliver public services. Individual departments are responsible for managing their contracts in the usual way.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to support farmers affected by compulsory purchase orders for nationally significant infrastructure projects to find alternative land nearby.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Development Consent Orders can include provisions which allow the applicant to compulsorily acquire land, with applicants required to follow the process and procedures set out in the Planning Act 2008 and associated regulations.
Government guidance for applicants seeking authorisation for the compulsory acquisition of land reinforces that applicants should demonstrate that all reasonable alternatives have been explored. Applicants need to demonstrate that proposed interference with the rights of those with an interest in the land is for a legitimate purpose, and that it is necessary and proportionate.
The Secretary of State must be persuaded that the purposes for which an order authorises the compulsory acquisition of land are legitimate and are sufficient to justify interfering with the human rights of those with an interest in the land affected. These matters are considered by the Examining Authority during its examination and inform its recommendation to the Secretary of State.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13623 on Agriculture: Inheritance Tax, what data her Department holds on the impact of reforms to (a) agricultural property relief and (b) business property relief on tenant farmers.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief. In addition to the information highlighted in the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13623 on Agriculture: Inheritance Tax, the Chancellor of the Exchequer provided further data in her recent letter to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee. The letter is available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.
The Government has held meetings with a range of stakeholders, including the Tenant Farmers Association.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of contracted employees in the public sector.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 21 November is attached.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.51 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, whether (a) non-residential agricultural buildings, (b) farm vehicles, (c) farm tools, (d) livestock and (e) chemicals and fertiliser stock are included in the valuation of an estate and its assets.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I can confirm that (a) non-residential agricultural buildings, (b) farm vehicles, (c) farm tools, (d) livestock and (e) chemicals and fertiliser stock are all included in the valuation of the agricultural and business assets of an estate.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 41 of her Department's document entitled Autumn Budget 2024, Policy Costings, published on 30 October 2024, what the evidential basis is for the Exchequer impact of changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief being £495 million in 2027-28; and what the split is between the two reliefs.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The costing methodology for reforming agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 by maintaining 100% relief for the first £1m of combined assets and 50% relief thereafter, and 50% relief for “not listed” shares on the markets of a recognised stock exchange is published in the Autumn Budget 2024 Policy Costing Document on page 41:
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Summary of reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment he has made of the impact of this change on tenant farmers.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms, and further explanatory information at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief. Around 500 estates across the UK are expected to be affected each year from 2026-27.
In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Summary of reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief, published on 30 October 2024, whether he has made an assessment of the number of farmers that will exit the sector as a result of this change.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms, and further explanatory information at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief. Around 500 estates across the UK are expected to be affected each year from 2026-27.
In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.