Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 29 April (HL16703), what assessment they have made of the consistency with paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code of the practice of pre-briefing the policies in the Budget 2025 to the media; and whether the Prime Minister authorised pre-briefings.

I refer the noble lord to the Answer on 29 April (HL16703). There are occasions where the Government will trail and/or announce policy ahead of a Budget to provide context and help the public understand major fiscal events. Any such communications are tightly controlled, respect Parliament, protect market sensitive information and are in accordance with paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code.