Victoria Atkins
Conservative - Louth and Horncastle
5,506 (11.8%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 7th May 2015
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(since November 2024)3 APPG Memberships
Beer, Diabetes, Haemophilia and Contaminated Blood4 Former APPG Officer Positions
Broadband and Digital Communication, Diabetes, Rural Services, Textile and FashionDivision Voting information
Victoria Atkins voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 23 Conservative Aye votes vs 35 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 415 Noes - 47
Victoria Atkins voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 23 Conservative Aye votes vs 92 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 330 Noes - 275
Victoria Atkins voted No - against a party majority - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 31 Conservative No votes vs 24 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 366 Noes - 41
Victoria Atkins voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 20 Conservative Aye votes vs 92 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 314 Noes - 291
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
(22 debate interactions)
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(12 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(64 debate contributions)
(31 debate contributions)
(23 debate contributions)
(2 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(3,027 words contributed)
Louth and Horncastle Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 27,292 signatures (0.82%)
of 179,890 signatures (0.29%)
of 56,775 signatures (0.24%)
of 183,664 signatures (0.24%)
of 46,680 signatures (0.23%)
of 241,634 signatures (0.23%)
of 179,890 signatures (0.29%)
of 183,664 signatures (0.24%)
of 254,655 signatures (0.12%)
Petition Closed
Don't change inheritance tax relief for working farms
Gov Responded - 5 Dec 2024 Debated on - 10 Feb 2025 View Victoria Atkins's petition debate contributionsclosed 2 months, 2 weeks ago
We think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.
Latest EDMs signed by Victoria Atkins
Mauritius Treaty
Tabled by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)That the Agreement, done at London and Port Louis on 22 May 2025, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, should not be ratified.
(Most recent: 1 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 93
Reform UK: 4
Independent: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Traditional Unionist Voice: 1
Ulster Unionist Party: 1
Labour: 1
Social Security
Tabled by: Rishi Sunak (Conservative - Richmond and Northallerton)That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024 (S.I., 2024, No. 869), dated 22 August 2024, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 August 2024, be annulled.
(Most recent: 10 Sep 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 74
Independent: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Scottish National Party: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Victoria Atkins, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
2 Urgent Questions tabled by Victoria Atkins
Victoria Atkins has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
4 Bills introduced by Victoria Atkins
A Bill to Authorise the use of resources for the year ending with 31 March 2024; to authorise both the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund and the application of income for that year; and to appropriate the supply authorised for that year by this Act and by the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2023.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 11th July 2023 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to Authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2022, 31 March 2023 and 31 March 2024; to authorise the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund for those years; and to appropriate the supply authorised by this Act for the years ending with 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 23rd March 2023 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to Make provision about the supply of tobacco, vapes and other products, including provision prohibiting the sale of tobacco to people born on or after 1 January 2009; and to enable product requirements to be imposed in connection with tobacco, vapes and other products.
A Bill to create an offence of child criminal exploitation; and for connected purposes.
Wednesday 6th November 2024
Victoria Atkins has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Latest 36 Written Questions
(View all written questions)10 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Victoria Atkins's Defra questions)Defra remains committed to agreeing an appropriate funding model with Dover PHA to help tackle illegal imports. Officials are working with Dover Port Health Authority to agree funding for 2025/26.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra remains committed to agreeing a funding model with Dover Port Health Authority to help tackle illegal imports. The Government’s fiscal position is challenging, and we need to make some difficult decisions. Despite this, we have been able to secure funding for 2025/6 to support the detection of illegal imports at the short straits, alongside Border Force and we continue to work with Dover Port Health Authority on this.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra remains committed to agreeing an appropriate funding model with Dover PHA to help tackle illegal imports. Officials are working with Dover Port Health Authority to agree funding for 2025/26.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) received a total of 5,470 applications for the capital grant scheme between July and November 2024 with 1,884 Agreements offered during this period with an average value of £14,011.
Across the summer, a much larger volume of applications, than expected, were received meaning more time was required to process.
In light of these higher volumes, offers on new applications were not made to allow monitoring of the impact on the intended scheme outcomes and to investigate the implications of the increased value of some applications
The monthly breakdown is as follows:
| July | August | September | October | November | Total |
Applications Received | 963 | 937 | 978 | 1,403 | 1,189 | 5,470 |
Agreements Offered* | 904 | 961 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 1,882 |
Average Value of Claims Paid** | £12,952 | £13,323 | £14,006 | £14,420 | £15,094 | £14,011 |
* The application may have been received prior to July 2024.
** This relates to all claims paid within July to November regardless of when the agreement started. Agreement holders have up to 3 years from start date to submit their claim.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) received a total of 5,470 applications for the capital grant scheme between July and November 2024 with 1,884 Agreements offered during this period with an average value of £14,011.
Across the summer, a much larger volume of applications, than expected, were received meaning more time was required to process.
In light of these higher volumes, offers on new applications were not made to allow monitoring of the impact on the intended scheme outcomes and to investigate the implications of the increased value of some applications
The monthly breakdown is as follows:
| July | August | September | October | November | Total |
Applications Received | 963 | 937 | 978 | 1,403 | 1,189 | 5,470 |
Agreements Offered* | 904 | 961 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 1,882 |
Average Value of Claims Paid** | £12,952 | £13,323 | £14,006 | £14,420 | £15,094 | £14,011 |
* The application may have been received prior to July 2024.
** This relates to all claims paid within July to November regardless of when the agreement started. Agreement holders have up to 3 years from start date to submit their claim.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The budget for farming and agriculture beyond this year will be part of the government’s spending review.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For this government, food security is national security.
That is why this Government will introduce new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen Britain's food security.
- We will cut energy bills by switching on GB Energy
- Protect farmers from being undercut in trade deals
- Use the Government’s own purchasing power to back British produce.
Furthermore, the new Government are fully committed to the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. Government will restore stability and confidence amongst farmers and will not overturn the applecart by overhauling the schemes.
Instead, we will optimise schemes and grants in an orderly way, ensuring they produce the right outcomes for all farmers, food security and nature’s recovery in a just and equitable way.
The best way to do all of this effectively is to listen to farmers and others with a stake in our food system, countryside and nature. The Government is doing this as well as assessing data and information about what’s working and what isn’t before setting out detailed plans.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The budget for farming and agriculture beyond this year will be part of the government’s spending review.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The previous Government made a number of funding commitments in the Network North Command Paper. These will be examined closely by my Government in the coming months.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DWP cannot provide data down to a district council electoral ward level. Data on State Pension caseloads for GB is published and this can be found on DWP Stat-Xplore. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes data on estimates of the population at different geographic boundaries. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required.
To be helpful, as of the quarter ending May 2022, the proportion of the general population of Louth and Horncastle constituency in receipt of the State Pension is 30%. This was calculated using the State Pension caseload for the 2010 Parliamentary Constituency boundaries in the closest quarter (May 2022) to the ONS data used and dividing it by the latest available Parliamentary Constituency population estimates data from the ONS (Mid-year 2022).
Source for Population estimates: Parliamentary constituency population estimates (ONS)
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
DWP cannot provide data down to a district council electoral ward level. Data on State Pension caseloads for GB is published and this can be found on Stat-Xplore. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, can access User Guide (dwp.gov.uk) on how to extract the information required.
To be helpful, as of the quarter ending May 2023, there are 28,694 SP claimants in Louth and Horncastle Parliamentary Constituency. The 2024 Parliamentary constituency boundaries were used to calculate this.
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
In Louth and Horncastle constituency, the estimated number of pensioners who will have Winter Fuel Payments withdrawn is 26,570.
This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of Pension Credit recipients for Louth and Horncastle constituency, from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients for Louth and Horncastle constituency (using the latest statistics, sources shown below). The Pension Credit data is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024 in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payments statistics.
Please note that the below does not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up we might see as a result of the policy change (means testing Winter fuel payments to those on Pension Credit and other means tested benefits). We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or local authorities.
Also, the published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where it is a couple claiming Pension Credit).
Furthermore, Pension Credit claimants are the majority of those that will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, not all. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payments (as they claim other means tested benefits) but they are not considered in these figures as it is not possible to do so.
Sources used:
winter-fuel-payments-caseload-2022-to-2023.ods (live.com)
Stat-Xplore - Table View (dwp.gov.uk) (Feb-24 data)
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Energy support including for those who live in areas off-grid is the responsibility of Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The Home Upgrade Grant provides grants to low-income households to upgrade the energy performance of the worst quality, off-gas grid homes in England by installing multiple energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating. This will typically include insulation measures in combination with a heat pump to make the home heat efficient and suitable for the future as we build towards net zero.
This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement.
Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control.
Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
In Louth and Horncastle constituency, the estimated proportion of pensioners who will no longer be eligible to receive the Winter Fuel Payment is 90%.
This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of Pension Credit recipients for Louth and Horncastle constituency, from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients for Louth and Horncastle constituency (using the latest statistics, sources shown below), and dividing by the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients for Louth and Horncastle constituency. The Pension Credit data is based on the 2010 Westminster Parliamentary constituencies, not 2024 in order to be comparable with the Winter Fuel Payments statistics.
Please note that the below does not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up we might see as a result of the policy change (means testing Winter fuel payments to those on Pension Credit and other means tested benefits). We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or local authorities.
Also, the published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where it is a couple claiming Pension Credit).
Furthermore, Pension Credit claimants are the majority of those that will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments, not all. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payments (as they claim other means tested benefits) but they are not considered in these figures as it is not possible to do so.
Sources used:
winter-fuel-payments-caseload-2022-to-2023.ods (live.com)
Stat-Xplore - Table View (dwp.gov.uk) (Feb-24 data)
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement.
Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control.
Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.
In making a decision on Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, the Government had regard to the equality analysis in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty requirements.
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Between October 2021 and 4 July 2024, 18 new Targeted Investment Fund (TIF2) funded surgical hubs have opened. Elective Hub data is only available from April 2024, when the Elective Hub dashboard was established.
Of the 18 new TIF2 funded surgical hubs, only 11 surgical hubs are reporting data. The data shows that 6,302 surgical procedures were delivered by the 11 reporting hubs in April 2024; 6,142 in May 2024, and; 5,959 in June 2024. There were 7,572,563 pathways on the elective waiting list in April 2024; 7,603,812 in May 2024; 7,622,949 in June 2024 and 7,624,600 in July 2024.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of the end of June 2024, community diagnostics centres (CDCs) had delivered 9,292,578 tests, checks and scans since the 2021 Spending Review at the end of October. Over this period, the diagnostic waiting list has increased from 1,428,415 as at the end of October 2021 where 356,784 (25.0%) people were waiting over six weeks, to 1,639,813 at the end of June 2024 where 375,416 (23.9%) people were waiting over 6-weeks for a diagnostic test. 2024/25 NHS Operational Planning Guidance set an objective for just 5% to be waiting six weeks. Due to seasonal effects, some care should be exercised when comparing six week wait percentages figures in different months of the year.
CDC activity data is published monthly and cannot be provided up to a specific date within that month. Published CDC activity data details activity from July 2021 to August 2024. This is available at the following link:
Monthly activity and waiting list data for diagnostics is published monthly and is available at the following link:
The following table lists the number of checks, tests and scans delivered in each of the requested months across 2024:
Month | CDC activity delivered since Oct-21 Spending Review | CDC activity delivered in each month |
Jan-24 | 6,841,026 | 393,742 |
Feb-24 | 7,279,148 | 438,122 |
Mar-24 | 7,826,454 | 547,306 |
Apr-24 | 8,263,510 | 437,056 |
May-24 | 8,718,759 | 455,249 |
Jun-24 | 9,292,578 | 573,819 |
Jul-24 | 9,771,674 | 479,096 |
Source: NHS England
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of the end of June 2024, community diagnostics centres (CDCs) had delivered 9,292,578 tests, checks and scans since the 2021 Spending Review at the end of October. Over this period, the diagnostic waiting list has increased from 1,428,415 as at the end of October 2021 where 356,784 (25.0%) people were waiting over six weeks, to 1,639,813 at the end of June 2024 where 375,416 (23.9%) people were waiting over 6-weeks for a diagnostic test. 2024/25 NHS Operational Planning Guidance set an objective for just 5% to be waiting six weeks. Due to seasonal effects, some care should be exercised when comparing six week wait percentages figures in different months of the year.
CDC activity data is published monthly and cannot be provided up to a specific date within that month. Published CDC activity data details activity from July 2021 to August 2024. This is available at the following link:
Monthly activity and waiting list data for diagnostics is published monthly and is available at the following link:
The following table lists the number of checks, tests and scans delivered in each of the requested months across 2024:
Month | CDC activity delivered since Oct-21 Spending Review | CDC activity delivered in each month |
Jan-24 | 6,841,026 | 393,742 |
Feb-24 | 7,279,148 | 438,122 |
Mar-24 | 7,826,454 | 547,306 |
Apr-24 | 8,263,510 | 437,056 |
May-24 | 8,718,759 | 455,249 |
Jun-24 | 9,292,578 | 573,819 |
Jul-24 | 9,771,674 | 479,096 |
Source: NHS England
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the routes to diagnosis for cancer, which is collated and published by the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) does not specify the setting where the diagnostic test took place, so we do not hold the information on diagnoses following appointments in CDCs.
As of the end of August 2024, the diagnostic waiting list was 1,559,284, where 373,126 (23.9%) patients were waiting over six weeks. This compares to 1,428,415 as at the end of October 2021, following the 2021 Spending Review, where 356,784 (25%) patients were waiting over 6-weeks for a diagnostic test. 2024/25 NHS Operational Planning Guidance set an objective for just 5% to be waiting six weeks. Due to seasonal effects, some care should be exercised when comparing six week wait percentages figures in different months of the year.
In August 2024, performance against the Faster Diagnosis Standard was 75.5%, 0.5 percentage points above the operational standard. Due to the impact of working days per month and seasonality, impacting the amount of activity per month, we cannot directly compare performance to October 2021.
Monthly activity and waiting list data for diagnostics is published monthly and is available at the following link:
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Between the 2021 Spending Review and 4 July 2024, 18 new Targeted Investment Fund (TIF2) funded surgical hubs have opened. Elective Hub data is only available from April 2024, when the Elective Hub dashboard was established.
Of the 18 new TIF2 funded surgical hubs, only 11 surgical hubs are reporting data. This data shows that between 1 April 2024 and 1 July 2024 the 11 reporting surgical hubs have delivered 18,403 procedures.
Between 30 April 2021 and 30 June 2024, the elective waiting list increased by 2,499,232 from 5,123,717 to 7,622,949.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 sets out the requirement for the Civil Service Commission to establish recruitment principles which departments must follow. The Recruitment Principles 2018 provide the legal requirement for the selection of appointments to the Civil Service to be made on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. In addition, under section 12 of this act, it allows for exceptions to these principles.
Appointments by exception are an important part of how we bring talent and expertise into the Civil Service. These routes are long established and have been used properly and extensively by all modern administrations, as they can assist with bringing in individuals with relevant experience and skills for a time-limited basis.
In the latest year for which data is available across the civil service, the year ending March 2023, approximately 80,000 people were hired through open competitions, and approximately 9,000 people were hired through the different exception routes. Full details are available at the following link:
In the period from the general election to 3 September 2024, the Department has made 15 appointments by exception to the recruitment principles.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of 3 September 2024, three public appointees left as non-executive board members, those being: Gerry Murphy, who ended his final term of office on the Department’s board as planned on 31 July 2024, following 10 years of service; Amit Bhagwat, a member of the Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, who ended his term as planned on 31 August 2024; and Sir David Behan, a non-executive director on the board of NHS England, who ended his term as planned on 31 August 2024.
Six public appointees had their terms extended as non-executive board members, and these have been announced as: Nigel Trout and Charlotte Moar, as members on the board of NHS Resolution; and Junaid Bajwa, Graham Cooke, Paul Goldsmith and Rajakumari Long, as members on the board of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Extensions or re-appointments to the terms of a further 12 public appointees have also been agreed, and are due to be announced shortly. As of 3 September 2024, no new public appointees have taken up roles since the election. In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, any political activity by candidates that is required to be declared, is made public when the appointment is announced.
As of 3 September 2024, no direct ministerial appointees have left their posts since the general election. With respect to new direct ministerial appointments made in this period, I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Rt hon. Member for North West Hampshire on 30 July 2024, to PQ2407, which is available at the following link:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-07-30/2407
It concerns the number of direct ministerial appointments made by my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care since the election, as the position remains the same. Both appointees referred to in the answer have declared their political activity.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State and I have met regularly with officials from the Department, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the National Health Service on this issue.
UKHSA will continue to keep the global situation and our domestic preparations under close review, and ministers across the Government are working together to coordinate our response. Planning is underway, including work by the Department, the UKHSA, and the NHS, to prepare for any cases that we might see in the United Kingdom.
The UKHSA is engaged with our international partners, including the World Health Organisation, European, American, and African centres for disease control and prevention and national public health agencies, ensuring we receive updates about international cases in a timely fashion.
The risk to the UK population of being exposed to Mpox clade I is currently considered low. However, planning is underway to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK. This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available, and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection and to prevent onward transmission.
The additional pay uplift, worth an average of 4.05% on top of their existing pay award for 2023/24, would have an estimated cost impact of approximately £350 million per year. The estimated £350 million cost for 2023/24 will fall in 2024/25 for accounting purposes.
This is additional to the 6% uplift recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Renumeration, plus £1,000 on a consolidated basis, when applied to the revised 2023/24 pay scales, while also averaging an increase of over 8%, and with an effective date of 1 April 2024.
If agreed, this offer will bring an end to industrial action by junior doctors. Industrial action has cost taxpayers £1.7 billion since April 2023, and patients nearly 1.5 million cancelled appointments under the previous government.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The new build and refurbishment of the Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre at the Pilgrim Hospital is taking place in two phases. The first phase, which is a new build, is on track to be completed by February 2025, with the subsequent refurbishment of existing buildings due to be completed by January 2026.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced, and as subsequently confirmed in the Chancellor’s statement on 29 July 2024, we will be undertaking a full and comprehensive review of the New Hospital Programme to provide a realistic and costed timetable for delivery.
The Secretary of State will update Parliament on the outcome of the review reporting back to patients, clinicians, and local communities on the next steps for the New Hospital Programme.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
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.
The Government takes into account all representations, and HM Treasury officials and Ministers meet with stakeholders on a regular basis.
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.
The Government takes into account all representations, and HM Treasury officials and Ministers meet with stakeholders on a regular basis.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
When estates include a claim for both APR and BPR, the estate may not consist entirely of a farming business and its working capital. HMRC estimates that of the population of estates that claimed both APR and BPR in 2021-22, almost a quarter included a BPR claim for shares on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is likely that those particular assets contained within those estates represent, at least in part, investment portfolios set up in order to minimise inheritance tax liabilities, rather than being comprised solely of farming businesses. It is also possible that any claim for BPR is for a business unconnected to any farming activities.
More information is available in the Chancellor's recent letter to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
When estates include a claim for both APR and BPR, the estate may not consist entirely of a farming business and its working capital. HMRC estimates that of the population of estates that claimed both APR and BPR in 2021-22, almost a quarter included a BPR claim for shares on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is likely that those particular assets contained within those estates represent, at least in part, investment portfolios set up in order to minimise inheritance tax liabilities, rather than being comprised solely of farming businesses. It is also possible that any claim for BPR is for a business unconnected to any farming activities.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In 2021-22, the total combined value of agricultural and business property relief (APR, BPR) from those estates that claimed both reliefs was £1.6 billion.
When estates include a claim for both APR and BPR, the estate may not consist entirely of a farming business and its working capital. HMRC estimates that of the population of estates that claimed both APR and BPR in 2021-22, almost a quarter included a BPR claim for shares on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is likely that those particular assets contained within those estates represent, at least in part, investment portfolios set up in order to minimise inheritance tax liabilities, rather than being comprised solely of farming businesses. It is also possible that any claim for BPR is for a business unconnected to any farming activities.
More information is available in the Chancellor's recent letter to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)