Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the Valuation Office Agency to deliver (a) a council tax revaluation in Wales, (b) appeals from that revaluation, (c) backlogs for business and council tax valuations and appeals in England and Wales, (d) the 2026 business rates revaluations in England and Wales, (e) appeals from those revaluations, (f) valuations for the new council tax surcharge in England and (g) appeals further to the council tax surcharge valuations.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) works closely with government partners to ensure it is adequately resourced and to develop delivery plans which align with planned consultation and legislative timelines. The VOA will receive additional funding and has resourcing plans in place to ensure it has capacity to deliver this work.

The VOA is replacing IT systems with modern cloud-based platforms that will deliver efficiencies and make it easier for customers to self-serve. Work is also ongoing to upskill its workforce to ensure there is greater flexibility in managing a wide range of cases.

The VOA will integrate into HMRC from 1 April 2026 which will provide further flexibility and support, including increased access to HMRC’s digital, data and technology expertise to deliver this work.