Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of large businesses repaying SME invoices 60 or 90 days after receipt of the invoice on levels of interruption to SME cashflow.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On 31^st July DBT published new research showing that late payments cost the UK economy £11bn per year and closes down 38 UK businesses every day, with a disproportionate impact upon small businesses.

Government is putting in place the most significant legislation to tackle late payments in over 25 years, giving the UK the strongest legal framework on late payments in the G7. The consultation on stronger new legislative measures to ensure small businesses are paid promptly closes on 23 October.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the service level target is for HM Revenue and Customs for answering telephone calls; and when that target was last reviewed.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC’s published historic data series includes figures for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. This data sets out the number of telephony contacts and the percentage of total call attempts handled by HMRC Contact Centres.

These figures, along with the length of time which callers waited before ending their call without speaking to an adviser, are set out in the table below:

The percentage of total call attempts handled by contact centres includes calls handled by an adviser and calls where the query was resolved without speaking to an adviser, for example, after listening to a recorded informational message.

HMRC’s telephone service standard is to answer 85 per cent of phone calls to advisers. This has been the primary telephony target since 2022-23, and there is published performance against this metric since 2020-21, which can be found in HMRC’s historic data series on Gov.uk.

A target of 85 per cent of adviser attempts handled was reviewed and confirmed as part of HMRC's funding settlement at the Spending Review in June 2025.

HMRC has not made an assessment of the additional level of funding that would be required to enable HMRC to answer all telephone calls. The target of answering 85 per cent of calls to advisers, which was agreed at the Spending Review in June 2025, strikes the necessary balance between delivering a good service and providing value for money to taxpayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the additional level of funding that would be required to enable HM Revenue and Customs to answer all telephone calls.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC’s published historic data series includes figures for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. This data sets out the number of telephony contacts and the percentage of total call attempts handled by HMRC Contact Centres.

These figures, along with the length of time which callers waited before ending their call without speaking to an adviser, are set out in the table below:

The percentage of total call attempts handled by contact centres includes calls handled by an adviser and calls where the query was resolved without speaking to an adviser, for example, after listening to a recorded informational message.

HMRC’s telephone service standard is to answer 85 per cent of phone calls to advisers. This has been the primary telephony target since 2022-23, and there is published performance against this metric since 2020-21, which can be found in HMRC’s historic data series on Gov.uk.

A target of 85 per cent of adviser attempts handled was reviewed and confirmed as part of HMRC's funding settlement at the Spending Review in June 2025.

HMRC has not made an assessment of the additional level of funding that would be required to enable HMRC to answer all telephone calls. The target of answering 85 per cent of calls to advisers, which was agreed at the Spending Review in June 2025, strikes the necessary balance between delivering a good service and providing value for money to taxpayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of telephone calls to HM Revenue and Customs were answered in (a) 2015 and (b) 2016.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC’s published historic data series includes figures for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. This data sets out the number of telephony contacts and the percentage of total call attempts handled by HMRC Contact Centres.

These figures, along with the length of time which callers waited before ending their call without speaking to an adviser, are set out in the table below:

The percentage of total call attempts handled by contact centres includes calls handled by an adviser and calls where the query was resolved without speaking to an adviser, for example, after listening to a recorded informational message.

HMRC’s telephone service standard is to answer 85 per cent of phone calls to advisers. This has been the primary telephony target since 2022-23, and there is published performance against this metric since 2020-21, which can be found in HMRC’s historic data series on Gov.uk.

A target of 85 per cent of adviser attempts handled was reviewed and confirmed as part of HMRC's funding settlement at the Spending Review in June 2025.

HMRC has not made an assessment of the additional level of funding that would be required to enable HMRC to answer all telephone calls. The target of answering 85 per cent of calls to advisers, which was agreed at the Spending Review in June 2025, strikes the necessary balance between delivering a good service and providing value for money to taxpayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average length of time was that callers to HM Revenue and Customs waited before ending their call without speaking to an adviser in (a) 2015 and (b) 2016.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC’s published historic data series includes figures for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. This data sets out the number of telephony contacts and the percentage of total call attempts handled by HMRC Contact Centres.

These figures, along with the length of time which callers waited before ending their call without speaking to an adviser, are set out in the table below:

The percentage of total call attempts handled by contact centres includes calls handled by an adviser and calls where the query was resolved without speaking to an adviser, for example, after listening to a recorded informational message.

HMRC’s telephone service standard is to answer 85 per cent of phone calls to advisers. This has been the primary telephony target since 2022-23, and there is published performance against this metric since 2020-21, which can be found in HMRC’s historic data series on Gov.uk.

A target of 85 per cent of adviser attempts handled was reviewed and confirmed as part of HMRC's funding settlement at the Spending Review in June 2025.

HMRC has not made an assessment of the additional level of funding that would be required to enable HMRC to answer all telephone calls. The target of answering 85 per cent of calls to advisers, which was agreed at the Spending Review in June 2025, strikes the necessary balance between delivering a good service and providing value for money to taxpayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many telephone calls were received by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) 2015 and (b) 2016.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC’s published historic data series includes figures for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. This data sets out the number of telephony contacts and the percentage of total call attempts handled by HMRC Contact Centres.

These figures, along with the length of time which callers waited before ending their call without speaking to an adviser, are set out in the table below:

The percentage of total call attempts handled by contact centres includes calls handled by an adviser and calls where the query was resolved without speaking to an adviser, for example, after listening to a recorded informational message.

HMRC’s telephone service standard is to answer 85 per cent of phone calls to advisers. This has been the primary telephony target since 2022-23, and there is published performance against this metric since 2020-21, which can be found in HMRC’s historic data series on Gov.uk.

A target of 85 per cent of adviser attempts handled was reviewed and confirmed as part of HMRC's funding settlement at the Spending Review in June 2025.

HMRC has not made an assessment of the additional level of funding that would be required to enable HMRC to answer all telephone calls. The target of answering 85 per cent of calls to advisers, which was agreed at the Spending Review in June 2025, strikes the necessary balance between delivering a good service and providing value for money to taxpayers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to ensure local authorities have sufficient resources to repair and maintain residential roads; and what steps she plans to take to improve the long-term funding settlement available for tackling potholes and surface deterioration.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government takes the condition of our country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local authorities in maintaining and renewing the local highway network. This Government has made a record investment of almost £1.6 billion for local road maintenance this financial year, a £500 million increase compared to 2024/25.

Building on this, we will provide £24 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve our motorways and local roads across the country. This funding increase will allow National Highways and local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a diplomatic humanitarian convoy to facilitate the delivery of aid through the Rafah Crossing; and what recent discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart on diplomatic escorts for humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The political and security conditions in Gaza are not currently suitable for the deployment of diplomatic convoys and escorts. Israel must allow the full range of humanitarian relief supplies to enter and be distributed within Gaza via all crossings and routes, and the Israel Defense Force (IDF) must ensure their safe passage.

Digital-only immigration status

Democracy and human rights in Myanmar

Found: Labour; Dudley) Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat; Witney) Gregor Poynton (Labour; Livingston) Mr Joshua Reynolds

Found: Labour; Dudley) Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat; Witney) Gregor Poynton (Labour; Livingston) Mr Joshua Reynolds

Found: National Portrait Gallery and the Getty Museum in the USA to raise money jointly to purchase Sir Joshua Reynolds

Found: of 5 (100.0%) Gregor Poynton (Labour, Livingston) (added 5 Mar 2025) 2 of 5 (40.0%) Mr Joshua Reynolds

Found: _NC3 Mr Joshua Reynolds Pippa Heylings Susan Murray Rachel Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley Calum MillerAlison

Found: _NC3 Mr Joshua Reynolds Pippa Heylings Susan Murray REPORT STAGE Friday 12 September 2025 2 Rachel Gilmour

Found: _NC3 Mr Joshua Reynolds Pippa Heylings Susan Murray Rachel Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley Calum MillerAlison

Found: _NC3 Mr Joshua Reynolds Pippa Heylings Susan Murray Rachel Gilmour REPORT STAGE Thursday 11 September

Found: GoldmanSusan MurrayHelen Maguire Gideon AmosAndrew GeorgeJosh Babarinde Manuela PerteghellaAlex BrewerMr Joshua Reynolds

Found: GoldmanSusan MurrayHelen Maguire Gideon AmosAndrew GeorgeJosh Babarinde Manuela PerteghellaAlex BrewerMr Joshua Reynolds

Found: Ian RoomeHelen Maguire Rachel Gilmour Susan MurrayJosh Babarinde Marie Goldman Andrew GeorgeMr Joshua Reynolds

Submit Evidence (by 14 Nov 2025)

The UK economy confronts challenges to growth, weak productivity and fragile investment. Businesses face rising costs, regulatory uncertainty, and a complex trade environment.