Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding research and development tax relief to include capital equipment relating to industrial decarbonisation.

The Government provides a Research & Development Allowance (RDA) which gives relief for capital expenditure on R&D incurred by a trader. This includes plant, machinery and buildings used for R&D activity.

In 2021, the Government previously consulted on targeting the R&D tax reliefs towards R&D with specific social value, for example green technology. It was noted that differentiated tax relief for specific R&D would increase complexity and compliance costs, widen the scope for abuse, and could be less effective than direct government spending.