Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she intends to cap public service pension costs under section 12 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Section 12 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (the Act) requires an employer cost cap to be set in each of the public service pension schemes.
The Act requires that Treasury regulations must provide for the costs of a scheme to remain within specified margins either side of the employer cost cap of the scheme. The Regulations (SI 2014 No. 575) provide the margins are 3% of pay and that steps must be taken to return the cost of a scheme to the employer cost cap if the cost of the scheme would otherwise go beyond these margins.
Treasury Directions made under the Act specify when the employer cost cap is to be assessed (The_Public_Service_Pensions__Valuations_and_Employer_Cost_Cap__Directions_2023_-_Final.pdf ). Valuations of the employer cost cap as at 31 March 2016 and at 31 March 2020 have been undertaken by each of the schemes, for example see page 9 of the Civil Service Pension Scheme Actuarial Valuation as at 31 March 2020 - Valuation Results. Valuations of the employer cost cap as at 31 March 2024 are currently underway and are expected to be published next year.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) pubs, (b) cafes, (c) restaurants and (d) hotels have had their rateable value (i) increased and (ii) reduced by the Valuation Office Agency during the 2026 business rate revaluation.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The VOA published the Draft non-domestic rating list on 26 November 2025. The accompanying statistical commentary reflects changes by sector and location, compared to the previous 2023 valuation. The revaluation will take effect from 1 April 2026.
A rise in rateable value does not automatically mean a similar rise in bills. Bills are calculated using an agreed multiplier and any additional reliefs a ratepayer qualifies for. For those seeing bill increases, reflecting many sectors’ post-Covid recovery, the current government is providing a new support package for business rate payers worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025, Spending by Business Units no longer part of Cabinet Office, published on 29 May 2025, what the spending on TasteTheLove on 28 April 2025 was for, including what food or drink was purchased.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The relevant expense was for catering a cross-government (including visitors from academia and the private sector) event.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 70466 on 10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether (a) the Government Property Agency and (b) her Department has (i) an annual allowance and (ii) budget for works, fixtures or fittings for the Chancellor’s flat in Downing Street.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Aside from day-to-day facilities management, neither the GPA nor HMT provide an annual allowance or budget for works, fixtures or fittings to be undertaken on the Chancellor’s flat in Downing Street.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding: accessing HMRC information to assist honours committees in making recommendations about awarding honours to individuals, published on 19 October 2023, whether the HMRC Checking Panel’s deliberations are minuted and retained.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the published Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), HMRC will commission reports on the tax behaviour of nominees. The reports and risk ratings are retained in line with HMRC’s data retention policy, as set out in the MOU. Deliberations are not minuted, but the framework for decision making is published with the MOU.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85917 on Lobbying: Official Hospitality, if she will list (a) the receptions her Department has held in the offices of consultant lobbying firms since 4 July 2024 and (b) the rationale in each case.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the department have not held any receptions in the offices of consultant lobbying firms since 4 July 2024.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26828 on Cabinet Office: Revenue and Customs, what the legal basis is to permit the sharing of confidential information on ministers’ tax affairs between (a) Cabinet Office, (b) the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards and (c) HM Revenue and Customs.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Data sharing between HMRC and other departments is considered on a case-by-case basis, to comply with HMRC’s obligations under its duty of confidentiality and other information law, including the UK GDPR.
HMRC supports other government departments in their awards and appointments processes by providing advice on potential tax risks, by reference to a low, medium or high rating. HMRC discloses this information as it supports its functions, including the collection and management of tax.
Details of Memoranda of Understanding (“MOU”) HMRC has with other government departments for these purposes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-awards-and-appointments. The published MOUs explain the legal basis for disclosure.
The MOUs are clear that data must not be shared other than for the purpose set out in the MOU and that data may only be shared with individuals/teams explicitly named in the MOU.
There is no specific data sharing agreement between HMRC and the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85189 on National Wealth Fund: Workplace Pensions, and with reference to page 123 of her Department's document entitled National Wealth Fund Limited's Annual Report and Accounts 2024–2025, published on 31 October 2025, and paragraphs 5.2.1 and 5.8.1 of her Department's joint document entitled UK Infrastructure Bank Framework Document, published on 9 January 2024, what the name is of the pension provider for the defined contribution pension scheme for staff; and if she will list the names of the pension funds that the scheme invests in.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 4 November to PQ UIN 85189.Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11978 on Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness, if her Department holds data that breaks down how the savings were delivered by each department.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
All savings and investments announced at the July statement in 2024 were factored into the departmental budgets. Departments are responsible for managing spend within that budget.