HM Treasury

HM Treasury is the government’s economic and finance ministry, maintaining control over public spending, setting the direction of the UK’s economic policy and working to achieve strong and sustainable economic growth.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

John Healey
Chancellor of the Exchequer

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Baroness Kramer (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
Daisy Cooper (LD - St Albans)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Treasury)

Conservative
Mel Stride (Con - Central Devon)
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer

Liberal Democrat
Charlie Maynard (LD - Witney)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)

Green Party
Ellie Chowns (Green - North Herefordshire)
Green Spokesperson (Treasury)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Richard Fuller (Con - North Bedfordshire)
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Treasury)
Lord Altrincham (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Treasury)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
James Wild (Con - North West Norfolk)
Shadow Exchequer Secretary (Treasury)
Mark Garnier (Con - Wyre Forest)
Shadow Economic Secretary (Treasury)
Ministers of State
Emma Reynolds (Lab - Wycombe)
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
James Murray (LAB - Ealing North)
Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Torsten Bell (Lab - Swansea West)
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Lucy Rigby (Lab - Northampton North)
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Lord Pitt-Watson (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Wednesday 15th July 2026
Select Committee Inquiry
Tuesday 31st January 2023
Quantitative tightening

This inquiry will examine quantitative tightening, including its impact on the economy and its fiscal costs. It will also investigate …

Written Answers
Thursday 30th July 2026
UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Livermore on 14 July (HL Deb col 562), what …
Secondary Legislation
Wednesday 15th July 2026
Finance Act 2026 (Registration of Tax Advisers) (Exceptions) Regulations 2026
These Regulations amend Schedule 20 to the Finance Act 2026, which sets out exceptions from the requirement for tax advisers …
Bills
Tuesday 30th June 2026
Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2026
A Bill to authorise the use of resources for the year ending with 31 March 2027; to authorise both the …
Dept. Publications
Thursday 30th July 2026
16:37

Guidance

HM Treasury Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Jun. 23
Oral Questions
May. 21
Urgent Questions
Jul. 15
Westminster Hall
May. 20
Adjournment Debate
View All HM Treasury Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

HM Treasury does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Introduced: 30th June 2026

A Bill to authorise the use of resources for the year ending with 31 March 2027; 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 2026.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 15th July 2026 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 24th June 2026

A Bill to Increase the rate of electricity generator levy and mileage amounts relating to income tax and to provide for temporary rates of vehicle excise duty for goods vehicles.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 15th July 2026 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 4th December 2025

A Bill to Make provision to amend section 4 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, and section 4 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, so that amounts of salary sacrificed for employer pensions contributions pursuant to optional remuneration arrangements are liable to national insurance contributions.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 29th April 2026 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 2nd December 2025

A Bill to make provision in connection with finance.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 18th March 2026 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 4th March 2026

A Bill to Authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2025, 31 March 2026 and 31 March 2027; 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 2025 and 31 March 2026.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 18th March 2026 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 25th June 2025

A Bill to Authorise the use of resources for the year ending with 31 March 2026; 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 2025.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 21st July 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 13th November 2024

A Bill to make provision about secondary Class 1 contributions.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 3rd April 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 6th November 2024

A Bill to make provision about finance.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 20th March 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 25th July 2024

A Bill to amend the Crown Estate Act 1961.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 11th March 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 5th March 2025

A Bill to Authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2024, 31 March 2025 and 31 March 2026; 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 2024 and 31 March 2025.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 11th March 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 6th November 2024

A Bill to make provision for loans or other financial assistance to be provided to, or for the benefit of, the government of Ukraine.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 16th January 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 18th July 2024

A Bill to impose duties on the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility in respect of the announcement of fiscally significant measures.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 10th September 2024 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 24th July 2024

A Bill to authorise the use of resources for the year ending with 31 March 2025; 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 2024.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 30th July 2024 and was enacted into law.

HM Treasury - Secondary Legislation

These Regulations amend Schedule 20 to the Finance Act 2026, which sets out exceptions from the requirement for tax advisers to register with HMRC.
These Regulations amend the Customs Tariff (Suspension of Import Duty Rates) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1435) (“the 2020 SI”). Regulation 2(2) amends the definition of “Suspensions of Import Duty Rates Document” in regulation 2 of the 2020 SI to refer to a new version of that document. The new version of that document has been revised to implement new suspensions granted as a result of the 2025 to 2026 application window for business suspensions. This new version of the document also makes routine technical and descriptive updates, and corrects minor errors.
View All HM Treasury Secondary Legislation

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).

Trending Petitions
Petition Open
45,683 Signatures
(684 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
19,589 Signatures
(216 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
277 Signatures
(172 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
413 Signatures
(150 in the last 7 days)
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Debates Contributed

Raise the income tax personal allowance from £12570 to £20000. We think this would help low earners to get off benefits and allow pensioners a decent income.

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.

We want the government to introduce a new tax code for state pensioners, set at double the basic threshold. If this was implemented, pensioners would receive a higher tax-exempt limit, but wealthier pensioners would still pay tax.

View All HM Treasury Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Treasury Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Treasury Committee
Meg Hillier Portrait
Meg Hillier (Labour (Co-op) - Hackney South and Shoreditch)
Treasury Committee Member since 9th September 2024
Yuan Yang Portrait
Yuan Yang (Labour - Earley and Woodley)
Treasury Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Siobhain McDonagh Portrait
Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Treasury Committee Member since 21st October 2024
John Glen Portrait
John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Treasury Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Harriett Baldwin Portrait
Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Treasury Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Bobby Dean Portrait
Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Treasury Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Chris Coghlan Portrait
Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Treasury Committee Member since 28th October 2024
John Grady Portrait
John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Treasury Committee Member since 9th December 2024
Catherine West Portrait
Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Treasury Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Jim Dickson Portrait
Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Treasury Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Julie Minns Portrait
Julie Minns (Labour - Carlisle)
Treasury Committee Member since 22nd June 2026
Treasury Committee: Previous Inquiries
The Financial Conduct Authority’s Regulation of London Capital & Finance plc Budget 2021 Work of National Savings and Investments Lessons from Greensill Capital Appointment of Carolyn Wilkins to the Financial Policy Committee Appointment of Tanya Castell to the Prudential Regulatory Committee The work of the Prudential Regulation Authority Reappointment of Jill May and Julia Black to the Prudential Regulation Committee Committee on COP26: climate change and finance Spring Budget 2020 Appointment of Sarah Breeden to the Financial Policy Committee Appointment of Catherine Mann to the Monetary Policy Committee Reappointment of Jonathan Haskel to the Monetary Policy Committee Bank of England July Financial Stability Report and August Monetary Policy Report Economic Crime Regional Imbalances in the UK economy The Work of the Debt Management Office Appointment of Richard Hughes as Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility Reappointment of Professor Silvana Tenreyro to the Monetary Policy Committee Reappointment of Andy Haldane to the Monetary Policy Committee Appointment of Jonathan Hall to the Financial Policy Committee Appointment of Nikhil Rathi as Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority Maxwellisation inquiry The work of National Savings and Investments inquiry Retail Banking Market Review inquiry HMRC Executive Chair and Chief Executive Financial stability one-off hearing Appointment of the CEO of Financial Conduct Authority Bank of England Financial Stability Report Hearings 2016-17 UK's future economic relationship with the EU inquiry Appointment of Deputy Governor for Prudential Regulation EU Insurance Regulation inquiry HM Treasury: Report and Accounts 2015 – 2016 Appointment of Michael Saunders to the Monetary Policy Committee Appointment of Anil Kashyap to the Financial Policy Committee Tax credits, fraud and error inquiry The work of the Chancellor of the Exchequer inquiry Bank of England Inflation Report Hearing August 2016 Prudential Regulation Authority inquiry Sir Charles Bean appointment to Budget Responsibility Committee UK tax policy and the tax base inquiry Government Internal Audit Agency inquiry HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15 inquiry Valuation Office Agency inquiry Independent review of report into failure of HBOS inquiry Review of the Office for National Statistics inquiry Appointment of Angela Knight as Chair of the Office for Tax Simplification Appointment of Tim Parkes as Chair of Regulatory Decisions Committee Budget 2016 inquiry Financial Policy Committee re-appointment hearings Bank of England Inflation Report Hearing May 2016 Work of the Court of the Bank of England inquiry Bank of England Inflation Report Hearing February 2017 Appointment of the Deputy Governor for Markets and Banking Budget 2017 inquiry Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster inquiry Capital inquiry Work of the Payment Systems Regulator inquiry Effectiveness and impact of post-2008 UK monetary policy Access to basic retail financial services inquiry Financial Conduct Authority inquiry Bank of England Inflation Report Hearing November 2016 UK Financial Investments annual reports and accounts 2015-16 Housing Policy inquiry Autumn Statement 2016 Household finances: income, saving and debt inquiry Bank of England Inflation Reports inquiry Budget Autumn 2017 inquiry Student Loans inquiry The UK's economic relationship with the European Union inquiry The work of the Bank of England inquiry The work of the Financial Conduct Authority The work of the National Infrastructure Commission inquiry Women in finance inquiry Appointment of Professor Silvana Tenreyro to the Monetary Policy Committee Appointment of Sir Dave Ramsden as Deputy Governor for Markets and Banking, Bank of England The work of the Chancellor of the Exchequer EU Insurance Regulation inquiry HMRC Annual Report and Accounts inquiry Re-appointment of Professor Anil Kashyap to the Financial Policy Committee inquiry Re-appointment of Ben Broadbent as Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy, Bank of England inquiry The effectiveness of gender pay gap reporting inquiry Decarbonisation of the UK Economy and Green Finance inquiry Regional Imbalances in the UK Economy inquiry Work of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme inquiry Spending Round 2019 inquiry Access to Cash Review inquiry Appointment of Kathryn Cearns as Chair of the Office of Tax Simplification inquiry The future of the UK’s financial services inquiry The impact of Business Rates on business inquiry Spring Statement 2019 inquiry The work of the Adjudicator’s Office inquiry The work of the Debt Management Office inquiry Independent Review of the Co-Operative Bank inquiry Work of the Court of the Bank of England inquiry Tax enquiries and resolution of tax disputes inquiry IT failures in the financial services sector inquiry Work of the Banking Standards Board inquiry Independent Review of the Financial Ombudsman Service Appointment of Bradley Fried as Chair of Court, Bank of England Appointment of Professor Jonathan Haskel to the Monetary Policy Committee Andy King, Nominated Member of the Budget Responsibility Committee Re-appointment of Dr Gertjan Vlieghe to the Monetary Policy Committee Maxwellisation inquiry Work of the Valuation Office Agency inquiry Appointment of Julia Black as external member of the Prudential Regulation Committee Appointment of Jill May as an external member of the Prudential Regulation Committee Consumers’ Access to Financial Services inquiry The re-appointment of Sir Jon Cunliffe as Deputy Governor for Financial Stability at the Bank of England inquiry Budget 2018 inquiry The Work of the Treasury inquiry Service Disruption at TSB inquiry Economic Crime inquiry Re-appointment of Alex Brazier to the Financial Policy Committee Re-appointment of Donald Kohn to the Financial Policy Committee Re-appointment of Martin Taylor to the Financial Policy Committee VAT inquiry Spring Statement 2018 Digital Currencies inquiry Appointment of Charles Randell as Chair of the Financial Conduct Authority SME Finance inquiry Appointment of Elisabeth Stheeman to the Bank of England Financial Policy Committee The work of the Prudential Regulation Authority inquiry Bank of England Financial Stability Reports RBS's Global Restructuring Group and its treatment of SMEs inquiry Childcare inquiry The work of the Payment Systems Regulator inquiry HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts inquiry Women in the City Crown Estate Cheques, the end of? Mortgage Arrears and Access to Mortgage Finance: Follow up Financial Institutions - Too Important To Fail? Budget 2010 Credit Searches European Macro and Micro Prudential Financial Regulation Presbyterian Mutual Society Pre-Budget Report 2009 Budget 2009 Pre-Budget Report 2008 Budget 2008 Pre-Budget Report 2007 Mortgage Arrears and Access to Mortgage Finance Evaluating the Efficiency Programme Administration and expenditure of the Chancellor’s Departments, 2008-09 Banking Crisis Banking Crisis: International Dimensions Banking Reform Run on the Rock Budget June 2010 Competition and choice in the banking sector Office for Budget Responsibility Financial Regulation Spending Review 2010 Administration and effectiveness of HMRC The principles of tax policy Retail Distribution Review European financial regulation Autumn forecast 2010 Accountability of the Bank of England Private Finance Initiative Budget 2011 Future of Cheques Independent Commission on Banking: Interim Report Closing the tax gap: HMRC's record at ensuring tax compliance Budget Measures and Low-income Households Financial Conduct Authority Inherited Estates Counting the population Administration and expenditure of the Chancellor's Departments, 2006-07 Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 Administration and expenditure of the Chancellor's Departments, 2007-08 Independent Commission on Banking: Final Report Global Imbalances Autumn Statement 2011 Budget 2012 Corporate governance and remuneration Money Advice Service LIBOR FSA's report into HBOS Spending Round 2013 Project Verde Macroprudential tools Disposal of Government Stakes in RBS and Lloyds Credit Rating Agencies Autumn Statement 2012 Appointment of Dr Mark Carney as Governor of the Bank of England Budget 2013 Quantitative easing Private Finance 2 Autumn Statement 2013 Bank of England Financial Stability Report hearings: Session 2014-15 Appointment hearings, Session 2013-14 Bank of England Inflation Report Hearings: Session 2013-14 EU Financial Regulation Monetary Policy: Forward Guidance UK Financial Investments Ltd 2013 The economics of HS2 SME Lending Financial Conduct Authority hearings The costing of pre-election policy proposals Performance of the Royal Mint Budget 2014 The economics of currency unions OBR: July 2013 Fiscal Sustainability Report Banks' Lending Practices: Treatment of Businesses in Distress RBS Independent Lending Review Prudential Regulation Authority Hearings: Session 2014-15 HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14 Treatment of Financial Services Consumers Bank of England Inflation Report Hearings: Session 2014-15 HMRC Business Plan 2014-16 Manipulation of Benchmarks Appointment hearings, Session 2014-15 Co-op Governance Review Cost effectiveness of economic and financial sanctions Bank of England Financial Stability Report Hearings 2015-16 Bank of England Inflation Report Hearings 2015-16 Summer Budget 2015 inquiry UK Financial Investments Ltd Annual Report and Accounts 14-15 Review of scope and performance of Office for Budget Responsibility Bank of England Bill inquiry Chair of Office for Budget Responsibility reappointment hearing HMRC Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15 inquiry Prudential Regulation Authority inquiry Comprehensive Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 inquiry Review of CMA work on Retail Banking Market one-off session Financial Conduct Authority Practitioner Panels one-off session Appointment of Gertjan Vlieghe to the Monetary Policy Committee hearing Reappointment of Ian McCafferty to the Monetary Policy Committee hearing Financial Conduct Authority Economic and financial costs and benefits of UK's EU membership Crown Estate Annual Report and Accounts 2013/14 Bank of England Foreign Exchange Market Investigation HM Revenue and Customs and HSBC Budget 2015 The UK's EU Budget Contributions Press briefing of information in the Financial Conduct Authority’s 2014/15 Business Plan Fair and Effective Markets Review The Payment Systems Regulator Implementing the recommendations on the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards Autumn Statement 2014 Work of the Tax Assurance Commissioner UK Financial Investments Ltd Proposals for further Fiscal and Economic Devolution to Scotland Debt Management Office Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14 UK Customs Policy Infrastructure The cost of living The venture capital market The crypto-asset industry Tax Reliefs September 2022 Fiscal Event The Financial Services and Markets Bill The mortgage market The Edinburgh Reforms Quantitative tightening Retail Banks Appointment of Andrew Bailey as Governor of the Bank of England Work of Government Actuary’s Department Work of the Financial Ombudsman Service Work of HM Treasury Future of Financial Services Spending Review 2020 HMRC Annual Report and Accounts Bank of England Financial Stability Reports The appointment of John Taylor to the Prudential Regulation Committee UK’s economic and trading relationship with the EU The appointment of Antony Jenkins to the Prudential Regulation Committee Access to Cash Review Bank of England Financial Stability Reports Bank of England Inflation Reports Consumers’ Access to Financial Services Decarbonisation of the UK Economy and Green Finance Economic Crime The effectiveness of gender pay gap reporting HMRC Annual Report and Accounts inquiry Tax enquiries and resolution of tax disputes IT failures in the financial services sector Appointment of Dame Colette Bowe to the Financial Policy Committee Re-appointment of Professor Anil Kashyap to the Financial Policy Committee Work of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme Spending Round 2019 The impact of Business Rates on business Work of the Court of the Bank of England Independent Review of the Co-Operative Bank Regional Imbalances in the UK Economy Re-appointment of Michael Saunders to the Monetary Policy Committee Re-appointment of Ben Broadbent as Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy, Bank of England Maxwellisation RBS's Global Restructuring Group and its treatment of SMEs SME Finance Spring Statement 2019 The future of the UK’s financial services HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts Service Disruption at TSB The UK's economic relationship with the European Union VAT The work of the Bank of England The work of the Chancellor of the Exchequer The work of the Financial Conduct Authority The Work of the Treasury The work of the Prudential Regulation Authority

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

16th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Livermore on 14 July (HL Deb col 562), what legal advice they have received on the compatibility of a revised UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK's obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal.

The UK and EU are committed to building a closer relationship and are negotiating agreements that will boost trade, enhance energy security and create opportunities for young people. The government takes all its international partnerships seriously and will ensure that UK-EU agreements are consistent with the UK’s wider international obligations.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
16th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence by the Financial Conduct Authority to support the handling of supervisory cases.

The FCA is operationally independent of government, and as such the government has not made an assessment of its use of artificial intelligence (AI). The FCA is accountable to the government and Parliament for the exercise of its functions.

The government is committed to the safe and responsible adoption of AI across the economy, and welcomes regulators considering how they can use AI in a way that improves efficiency, while keeping human judgement central to decision-making.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to increase the Energy Profits Levy.

The Government introduced a temporary windfall tax, the Energy Profits Levy (EPL), on extraordinary profits from oil and gas companies in 2022. The EPL currently levies 38% tax on profits in addition to the 40% rate of tax in the permanent fiscal regime


The EPL will come to an end either on 31 March 2030 or earlier if the Energy Security Investment Mechanism (ESIM) triggers, and will be replaced by the permanent Oil and Gas Revenue Levy (OGRL) which will become a permanent feature of the tax system and operate only in times of high prices to ensure oil and gas companies continue to pay their fair share of tax.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
21st Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of changing the rates of Capital Gains Tax to move in line with income tax rates; and what assessment they have made of how effective such a change would be.

Decisions on tax policy are taken by the Chancellor at fiscal events.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
21st Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of taxation on working people.

The Government has made fair and necessary choices on tax so it can deliver on the public’s priorities. Everyone is being asked to contribute to support these goals, but the Government is keeping the contribution from working people as low as possible by ensuring the wealthiest contribute more.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to allocate further funding to the Defence Investment Plan.

The Defence Investment Plan allocates a further £15 billion to defence spending over the next four years, funded by reprioritising public spending, with £10.3 billion already identified and a further £4.7 billion to be confirmed at Budget 2026 in a fair and balanced way. This brings total defence spending to almost £300 billion over the next four years and by 2027-28, the UK will spend 2.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on core NATO defence spending.

The Government has committed to increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP in the next Parliament, with funding and plans to be set out in due course.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
22nd Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the £4.7 billion of uncommitted funding in the Defence Investment Plan will be met at the next Budget.

The Defence Investment Plan allocates a further £15 billion to defence spending over the next four years, funded by reprioritising public spending, with £10.3 billion already identified and a further £4.7 billion to be confirmed at Budget 2026 in a fair and balanced way.

A Defence Investment Plan Funding Explainer can be found on the government website.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 8 July (HL1794), what is the source of the data provided, including a direct link to where it is published; and what is the quarterly breakdown of the annualised data provided from Q1 2016 to Q1 2026.

Real household disposable income (RHDI) is reported by the ONS as part of the UK Economic Accounts, available here: UK Economic Accounts - Office for National Statistics. Due to quarterly volatility, RHDI per capita is best suited to annual comparisons. The previous response noted that RHDI per capita was £26,159 in 2019 (Q1 2019 to Q4 2019), compared to £26,187 in the year to Q1 2026 (Q2 2025 to Q1 2026).

The quarterly data is provided in the table below:

Quarter

RHDI per capita

Q1 2016

6,336

Q2 2016

6,340

Q3 2016

6,286

Q4 2016

6,235

Q1 2017

6,208

Q2 2017

6,347

Q3 2017

6,359

Q4 2017

6,381

Q1 2018

6,424

Q2 2018

6,374

Q3 2018

6,389

Q4 2018

6,475

Q1 2019

6,459

Q2 2019

6,542

Q3 2019

6,554

Q4 2019

6,604

Q1 2020

6,488

Q2 2020

6,368

Q3 2020

6,540

Q4 2020

6,562

Q1 2021

6,618

Q2 2021

6,634

Q3 2021

6,577

Q4 2021

6,449

Q1 2022

6,465

Q2 2022

6,311

Q3 2022

6,299

Q4 2022

6,386

Q1 2023

6,305

Q2 2023

6,363

Q3 2023

6,338

Q4 2023

6,356

Q1 2024

6,448

Q2 2024

6,455

Q3 2024

6,559

Q4 2024

6,649

Q1 2025

6,610

Q2 2025

6,562

Q3 2025

6,513

Q4 2025

6,584

Q1 2026

6,529

Notes on the data: RHDI per capita is calculated by dividing real household disposable income (ONS variable NRJR) by total population (ONS variable EBAQ).

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
21st Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will extend non-payment of inheritance tax on personal estates from six to 12 months because of severe delays to the obtaining of probate.

Inheritance tax is due at the end of the sixth month after the date of death. After this point, late payment interest will begin to accrue on the outstanding tax. The Government has no plans to change the existing, longstanding deadlines.


The most recent Family Court Statistics Bulletin published by the Ministry of Justice shows that probate grants took approximately 5 weeks to be issued after the application was submitted during January to March 2026.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what differences, if any, there are between duty-free allowances between the Netherlands and Northern Ireland and between the Netherlands and the rest of the UK.

There are no duty free allowances between any member state of the EU and Northern Ireland. Travellers can bring in for their personal use an unlimited quantity of goods from any EU member state into Northern Ireland without paying UK duties and taxes on arrival.

For goods brought into Great Britain from a member state of the EU by a traveller for their personal use, duty free allowances apply.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government why there is a change in duty free allowances between the Netherlands and Northern Ireland.

There have been no changes to duty free allowances between the Netherlands and Northern Ireland.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government why duty-free allowances between the Netherlands and Northern Ireland differ from duty-free allowances between the rest of the EU and Northern Ireland.

Duty free allowances do not apply for travellers from the EU arriving in Northern Ireland. The enforcement controls required at the border to facilitate such allowances would run counter to the shared ambitions of the UK and the EU set out in the Windsor Framework and the principle of the frictionless movement of people and goods between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Travellers from the Netherlands to Northern Ireland are not treated differently to travellers arriving in Northern Ireland from any other member state.

Travellers can bring in for their personal use an unlimited quantity of goods from any EU member state into Northern Ireland without paying UK duties and taxes on arrival.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government to ask His Majesty’s Government how many (1) desks, and (2) civil servants, are assigned to the HM Revenue and Customs office at 1 Horse Guards Road.

HMRC does not have any desks or civil servants assigned to 1 Horse Guards Road.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 13 July (HL1420), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what estimate they have made of the revenue implications of levying capital gains tax at the same rate as income tax.

The Government does not comment on tax speculation outside of fiscal events. The Government keeps the tax system under review, and decisions on tax policy are taken by the Chancellor at a fiscal event.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
7th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the tax cost of train operators using red diesel instead of paying full fuel tax.

Qualifying locomotives for passenger and freight trains, and rail maintenance vehicles can use red diesel for propulsion. The Treasury does not hold information on the cost of rebated fuel used specifically by train operators.

To assist the Noble Lord, I can point to the most relevant published statistics available. HMRC’s non-structural tax reliefs publication sets out the overall estimated Exchequer cost of the rebate for red diesel (and kerosene used as fuel in an engine), while DESNZ’s Digest of UK Energy Statistics provides data on petroleum products consumed by the rail sector.

Although these publications do not provide a separate official estimate for train operators, they provide the best available published information on the overall cost of the relief and the scale of rail-sector fuel use.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
7th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the annual VAT loss from zero-rating rail fares.

HMRC’s published statistics on the cost of tax reliefs[1] provide an estimate of the cost of the VAT Zero Rate for domestic passenger transport of £5.8 billion in 2025-26. This includes other public transport such as buses; a breakdown for rail fares is not available.

[1] Tax reliefs - GOV.UK

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
15th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government which categories of low-value imports moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (1) will not face EU duties, (2) will be subject to EU duties, and (3) will be subject to any bureaucratic procedure which is not in place for movements between the regions and nations elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

The Government is committed to minimising the impact of the EU’s removal of its low value import (LVI) relief for businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland.

LVIs that are considered ‘not at risk’ will not face the new EU customs duty on LVI goods. As a result of the Windsor Framework arrangements, we estimate that c.99% of parcel movements into Northern Ireland, including low value imports, fall into this ‘not at risk’ category.

A small number of LVIs may be considered ‘at risk’ and subject to the applicable rate of EU duty. This will include business to consumer parcels that are not eligible to move under the UK Carrier Scheme, such as goods subject to sanctions, and business parcels that are not eligible to benefit from the UK Internal Market Scheme. In these cases, businesses can continue to claim waivers or reliefs through the usual means.

The processes for moving goods into Northern Ireland and the facilitations under the Windsor Framework are unaffected by the EU’s change to Low Value Imports.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
15th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury on 22 June (HC9337), what specific policies or announcements that were trailed or announced to the media prior to the ministerial statement on the Budget 2025 that were not otherwise accompanied by a formal statement to Parliament when they were made to the media.

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.

Consistent with the Macpherson Principles, the Civil Service Code, The Ministerial Code and the Special Advisers’ Code, any such communications are tightly controlled, respect Parliament, and protect market sensitive information.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, following National Savings and Investment (NS&I) notifying the Treasury in December 2025 of a failure to comprehensively trace accounts for some customers who died what assessment they have made of whether there are wider systemic problems in NS&I account management.

As outlined in the written ministerial statement (HLWS1491) on 27 March 2026, we appointed Sir Jim Harra, former HMRC First Permanent Secretary, to take over as Chief Executive of NS&I on an interim basis, to provide a fresh start for NS&I’s next phase of development.

NS&I is also part-way through delivering its Business Transformation Programme which aims to modernise NS&I’s operations and systems. NS&I and HMT will consider the lessons learned from this operational error, alongside those identified by the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee on programme delivery, to strengthen how NS&I works with its outsourced delivery partners going forward.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Office for Budget Responsibility's projection that public sector debt could reach 300 per cent of GDP by 2075.

The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report (FRS) 2026 confirms the need to boost growth and maintain sustainable public finances. A written ministerial statement (HLWS199) was published on 7 July alongside the publication of the FRS, setting out the actions the government is taking to reduce the deficit and ensure long-term sustainability.[1]

[1] Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report 2026 – Written Ministerial Statement, UK Parliament, 7th July 2026.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a hybrid business rate which combines a reduced property business rate with a modest digital business rate levied on online sales using the existing VAT system.

The government has already started reforming the Business Rates system. At Budget, the government introduced new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.

The government is paying for this through a high-value multiplier on the top one per cent of most expensive properties. This includes many large distribution warehouses, such as those used by online giants. The high-value multiplier is 33 per cent more than the multiplier for small RHL properties.

This is in addition to the support package, worth £4.3 billion, that the government introduced at Budget to protect ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills. As a result, over half of ratepayers see no bill increases in 2026/27, including 23 per cent whose bills go down

In addition, the government has announced that pubs, clubs and live music venues will benefit from 20% relief from April 2027 on top of the 15% relief and 2-year real-terms freeze in bills announced earlier this year.

Regarding a tax levied on online sales, while tax policy is kept under review, evidence received from a consultation in spring 2022 under the previous Government on the case for an Online Sales Tax suggested that such a tax would have been extremely complex to design and implement and create undue administrative burden for businesses. This included challenges of defining the boundaries between online and in-store retail, including ‘Click and Collect’ orders. Stakeholders also expected it would lead to higher prices for consumers.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, following National Savings and Investment (NS&I) notifying the Treasury in December 2025 of a failure to comprehensively trace accounts for some customers who died what assessment they have made of work by NS&I since December 2025 to trace accounts for customers who have died; what actions are being taken when NS&I fail to do so; and what steps they are taking to ensure appropriate compensation is paid to those affected by failures to trace accounts appropriately.

On 26 March 2026, the Minister for Pensions confirmed to Parliament that NS&I had identified an issue where the estates of deceased customers were not always repaid money from all of their accounts following a bereavement claim. These errors happened because the search process used when handling a bereavement claim failed to identify all NS&I products. The issue has been resolved for current and new bereavement claims and robust measures have been introduced to ensure this does not happen again.

Working with external consultants, NS&I reviewed 34 million customer records to identify its tracing issue. On 19 May 2026, the Minister for Pensions updated Parliament that the remediation population was estimated at up to 34,000 cases with a total value of £367 million. HM Treasury is working closely with NS&I to progress the remediation scheme, which is planned to conclude by mid-2027.

NS&I published a delivery plan that it will follow to ensure proactive, timely contact and will publish an update on progress against this plan on a quarterly basis.

NS&I announced it would seek to proactively reunite estates with combined deposits or holdings of £10 or more, providing compensatory interest of at least the Bank of England plus one percentage point rate, or any higher contractual interest accrued under the products’ terms and conditions, in line with Financial Ombudsman Service guidance.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the impact of the introduction of a land value tax on (1) residents, (2) the local economy, and (3) house prices, in central London.

The current UK property taxes are an important source of revenue for both the Exchequer and Local Authorities. They raise over £75 billion each year to help pay for essential public services. Any reforms to the property tax system would need to carefully consider positive or negative implications for the Exchequer, Local Government finances, taxpayers and the wider economy. The government keeps all taxes under review.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to give councils more control over the funds generated from business rates from their respective areas.

Local Authorities already retain a significant share of business rates income. At Autumn Budget 2025, the government extended existing 100% business rates retention pilots in Cornwall, the West of England, and Liverpool City Region for a further three years, to 2028-29. The government is also developing further proposals for fiscal devolution for Mayoral Strategic Authorities. Further details will be set out through the fiscal devolution roadmap at Autumn Budget 2026.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Office for Budget Responsibility Fiscal risks and sustainability, published on 7 July, in particular its conclusion that the current trajectory for public debt is unsustainable over the long term; and what steps they intend to take in response.

The Office for Budget Responsibility’s Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report (FRS) 2026 confirms the need to boost growth and maintain sustainable public finances. A written ministerial statement (HLWS199) was published on 7 July alongside the publication of the FRS, setting out the actions the government is taking to reduce the deficit and ensure long-term sustainability.[1]

[1] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-07-07/hlws199 UK Parliament, 7 July 2026.

Lord Pitt-Watson
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2026 to question 16168 on Investment: Strait of Hormuz, how much has she approved from the HMT reserve to deploy additional capabilities in the Middle East for the Multinational Hormuz Mission.

As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, the UK and France stand ready to deploy the wider Multinational Military Mission to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Emma Reynolds
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many FTE equivalent staff in (a) their Department and (b) each Arm's Length Body it sponsors are dedicated to fulfilment of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED); what the (i) annual employment and (ii) total annual cost incurred is as a result of PSED and compliance with PSED for each of those bodies; what the outputs are from the work of PSED teams and personnel dedicated to PSED; and if they will publish an assessment of their Department's compliance with PSED.

HM Treasury and its Arm's Length Bodies comply with their obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in the Equality Act 2010 and carefully consider the implications of policy and other decisions for those sharing protected characteristics. HMT’s approach to PSED compliance is set out on the following gov.uk page: Equality and diversity - HM Treasury - GOV.UK.

2 FTE posts provide support, guidance and training to colleagues across the Treasury on fulfilling their legal responsibilities under the PSED. The information on equivalent FTE posts for the Arm's Length Bodies is not held centrally by HM Treasury.

Ensuring that decisions taken are PSED compliant, including through the provision of well-evidenced advice to Ministers, is the responsibility of the relevant members of staff and teams working on those issues. Accordingly, the Department does not maintain centrally held records of staffing, costs or outputs attributable solely to PSED compliance. HM Treasury also does not hold corresponding information for its Arm's Length Bodies and seeking to obtain it would involve a disproportionate cost.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of classifying Access to Work expenditure as Annually Managed Expenditure to help ensure the scheme can respond to demand from new and sustained employment of disabled people.

Access to Work is an important programme that supports many people to start and stay in work. We are committed to ensuring it can respond to demand. That is why we announced in May that we would recruit and train 480 additional staff to speed up decisions and tackle the existing backlog by September 2027. That is a 72.5% increase to the existing 658 staff already working on Access to Work.

Access to Work is funded within DWP’s Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) to support effective management of expenditure. Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) is generally reserved for spending that is particularly volatile or cannot reasonably be managed within departmental DEL budgets.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
10th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who the stakeholders were that they obtained evidence from during the call for Evidence Business Rates review, which closed on 18th Feb.

We received responses to the Call for Evidence on Business Rates and Investment, from a range of organisations including Business Representative Organisations, Local Authorities, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure businesses and other sectors.

We are carefully considering representations we’ve received, and a Government response to the Call for Evidence will be published in due course.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
6th Jul 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the proposed overnight visitor levy will go to local authorities; and what assessment they have made of the potential effects of the levy on the hospitality and hotel sectors.

Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, will consult on specific proposals, including how revenue will be used to support growth. This will help them to find an appropriate balance between supporting local economic priorities, including tourism, ensuring a levy is affordable, and providing stability and certainty for businesses. Impacts will depend on local decisions and we expect Mayors to publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment.

13th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many agency staff were employed by her Department in each of the last five years.

Please see the table below for the number of agency staff at HM Treasury over the past five financial years. These figures represent year-end headcount, defined as the number of agency workers in post during March of each financial year.

Financial Year

Count of Agency Staff

2025-26

15

2024-25

11

2023-24

11

2022-23

4

2021-22

7

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what mechanisms exist to ensure independent oversight of allegations of serious misconduct or criminality involving HMRC investigators, including compliance with referral requirements and the effectiveness of arrangements for external scrutiny.

In England & Wales, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has the authority to investigate the most serious complaints and conduct matters in connection with the enforcement activities of HMRC. The statutory requirement for HMRC to refer such matters and oversight from the IOPC is governed by the Revenue and Customs (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2010.

In Scotland, there is similar oversight of alleged criminal conduct by a HMRC officer under agreement with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This includes the requirement to refer certain serious allegations to the Police Investigations & Review Commissioner who carry out a similar oversight role in Scotland.

In Northern Ireland HMRC is seeking oversight of HMRC enforcement activities from the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland following enabling legislation that was secured in March 2026.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority to safeguard Scottish law firm clients' interests under the proposed transfer of AML supervision from the Law Society of Scotland to the Financial Conduct Authority.

The Government consulted extensively on reform of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime, including with representatives of the legal sector from across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is well placed to undertake this role, with extensive existing AML/CTF expertise and oversight of legal and accountancy sector supervision through its Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS).

The Government will ensure successful implementation by providing funding from the Economic Crime (Anti Money Laundering) Levy (ECL) and is working closely with the FCA to ensure it further develops the capability and sector-specific expertise required. The FCA will consult on its future fee arrangements as implementation progresses.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the resources required by the Financial Conduct Authority to perform anti-money laundering supervisory responsibilities for Scottish law firms.

The Government consulted extensively on reform of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime, including with representatives of the legal sector from across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is well placed to undertake this role, with extensive existing AML/CTF expertise and oversight of legal and accountancy sector supervision through its Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS).

The Government will ensure successful implementation by providing funding from the Economic Crime (Anti Money Laundering) Levy (ECL) and is working closely with the FCA to ensure it further develops the capability and sector-specific expertise required. The FCA will consult on its future fee arrangements as implementation progresses.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ringfencing funding Financial Conduct Authority receives in fees from law firms for supervision of the legal sector.

The Government consulted extensively on reform of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime, including with representatives of the legal sector from across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is well placed to undertake this role, with extensive existing AML/CTF expertise and oversight of legal and accountancy sector supervision through its Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS).

The Government will ensure successful implementation by providing funding from the Economic Crime (Anti Money Laundering) Levy (ECL) and is working closely with the FCA to ensure it further develops the capability and sector-specific expertise required. The FCA will consult on its future fee arrangements as implementation progresses.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority to perform anti-money laundering supervisory responsibilities for Scottish law firms.

The Government consulted extensively on reform of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime, including with representatives of the legal sector from across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is well placed to undertake this role, with extensive existing AML/CTF expertise and oversight of legal and accountancy sector supervision through its Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS).

The Government will ensure successful implementation by providing funding from the Economic Crime (Anti Money Laundering) Levy (ECL) and is working closely with the FCA to ensure it further develops the capability and sector-specific expertise required. The FCA will consult on its future fee arrangements as implementation progresses.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with (a) law firms in Scotland and (b) law sector representative bodies in Scotland regarding the proposed changes to anti-money laundering supervision.

The Government consulted extensively on reform of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime, including with representatives of the legal sector from across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is well placed to undertake this role, with extensive existing AML/CTF expertise and oversight of legal and accountancy sector supervision through its Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS).

The Government will ensure successful implementation by providing funding from the Economic Crime (Anti Money Laundering) Levy (ECL) and is working closely with the FCA to ensure it further develops the capability and sector-specific expertise required. The FCA will consult on its future fee arrangements as implementation progresses.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the total monetary value of taxpayer-funded COVID-19 support payments, specifically the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, that were deducted by insurance companies from business interruption insurance payouts.

The Government has not made an assessment of the total monetary value of insurance company deductions from business interruption insurance payouts.

The Supreme Court published its final judgment in the FCA’s Business Interruption Insurance test case in 2021. At the time of the judgment, the FCA set out its expectation that insurers should communicate to all impacted policyholders what the judgment meant for their claim and should move quickly to resolve claims as determined by the judgment.

The FCA court case did not cover all potential issues with business interruption policies. The FCA has been clear that, in the event of further court rulings, insurers will need to consider carefully how the rulings impact claims they have already decided.

The FCA is continuing to supervise firms to ensure they are meeting their expectations and has robust powers to take action where necessary.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the regulatory consistency of allowing insurers to deduct Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme payments from business interruption claims, whilst prohibiting the deduction of Local Authority Grants.

The Government has not made an assessment of the total monetary value of insurance company deductions from business interruption insurance payouts.

The Supreme Court published its final judgment in the FCA’s Business Interruption Insurance test case in 2021. At the time of the judgment, the FCA set out its expectation that insurers should communicate to all impacted policyholders what the judgment meant for their claim and should move quickly to resolve claims as determined by the judgment.

The FCA court case did not cover all potential issues with business interruption policies. The FCA has been clear that, in the event of further court rulings, insurers will need to consider carefully how the rulings impact claims they have already decided.

The FCA is continuing to supervise firms to ensure they are meeting their expectations and has robust powers to take action where necessary.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the transfer of anti-money laundering supervisory responsibilities from the Law Society of Scotland to the Financial Conduct Authority on the regulatory responsibilities of high-street law firms in Scotland.

Reform of the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime will improve the effectiveness and consistency of supervision that regulated firms receive. It will not change the underlying obligations firms must meet under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information of the Payer) Regulations 2017.

While AML/CTF regulation is reserved in the UK, the Government and FCA recognise Scotland's distinct legal framework and will continue engaging with Scottish stakeholders to ensure implementation is proportionate, compatible and minimises unnecessary regulatory burdens such as dual regulation.

The Financial Services and Markets Bill currently before Parliament will pave the way for AML/CTF supervision reform, with full implementation due to be brought in though subsequent changes to secondary legislation.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the dual regulatory system resulting from the proposed transfer of anti-money laundering supervision from the Law Society of Scotland to the Financial Conduct Authority on the level of the regulatory burden on Scottish law firms.

Reform of the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime will improve the effectiveness and consistency of supervision that regulated firms receive. It will not change the underlying obligations firms must meet under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information of the Payer) Regulations 2017.

While AML/CTF regulation is reserved in the UK, the Government and FCA recognise Scotland's distinct legal framework and will continue engaging with Scottish stakeholders to ensure implementation is proportionate, compatible and minimises unnecessary regulatory burdens such as dual regulation.

The Financial Services and Markets Bill currently before Parliament will pave the way for AML/CTF supervision reform, with full implementation due to be brought in though subsequent changes to secondary legislation.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on the proposed changes required to Scottish devolved legislation for the transfer of anti-money laundering supervision from the Law Society of Scotland to the Financial Conduct Authority.

Reform of the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime will improve the effectiveness and consistency of supervision that regulated firms receive. It will not change the underlying obligations firms must meet under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information of the Payer) Regulations 2017.

While AML/CTF regulation is reserved in the UK, the Government and FCA recognise Scotland's distinct legal framework and will continue engaging with Scottish stakeholders to ensure implementation is proportionate, compatible and minimises unnecessary regulatory burdens such as dual regulation.

The Financial Services and Markets Bill currently before Parliament will pave the way for AML/CTF supervision reform, with full implementation due to be brought in though subsequent changes to secondary legislation.

14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed transfer of anti-money laundering supervision from the Law Society of Scotland to the Financial Conduct Authority on (a) the conveyancing system, (b) legal professional privilege, (c) the criminal justice system and d) partnership law in Scotland.

Reform of the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision regime will improve the effectiveness and consistency of supervision that regulated firms receive. It will not change the underlying obligations firms must meet under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information of the Payer) Regulations 2017.

While AML/CTF regulation is reserved in the UK, the Government and FCA recognise Scotland's distinct legal framework and will continue engaging with Scottish stakeholders to ensure implementation is proportionate, compatible and minimises unnecessary regulatory burdens such as dual regulation.

The Financial Services and Markets Bill currently before Parliament will pave the way for AML/CTF supervision reform, with full implementation due to be brought in though subsequent changes to secondary legislation.

13th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to HMRC's policy paper entitled Salary sacrifice reform for pension contributions, published on 4 December 2025, if she will publish the calculation underpinning the estimate that the mean average additional employee National Insurance contributions liability will be £84 in the first year.

Further detail on the methodology and assumptions used to produce the fiscal impact of the measure can be found in the OBR’s “Supplementary forecast information on salary-sacrifice pension contributions” publication, which includes breakdowns of the costing pre- and post-behaviour and by employer/employee National Insurance.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the amount of business rates to be paid by businesses in the retail, leisure, and hospitality sector in Castle Point constituency in 2026/27.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office (VO), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government.

At the Budget, the VO announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties.

In recognition of the impact of the revaluation on bills, the Government has introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion, to protect against ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills.

The Government has also introduced new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.

Recognising the value they bring and the challenges they face, in addition to the support announced at Budget, the Government has introduced a 1-year 15 per cent relief for all pubs and live music venues in 2026/27. For the following two years, their bills will then be frozen in real terms.

The Government recognises that hotels have expressed concerns about how they are valued for business rates. Hotels valuations are undertaken in a different way to some other sectors. The methodology used is well established, but, as with pubs, the Government has announced it will review the way hotels are valued to ensure it accurately reflects the rental value for these sectors.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
13th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of abolishing Stamp Duty for downsizers in (a) Yeovil constituency (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) continues to be an important source of Government revenue, raising around £14 billion each year to help pay for the essential services the Government provides. Abolishing SDLT in any region of the country would be likely to have a significant cost to the Exchequer.

Most owners looking to downsize are likely to have equity in their current property and are already exempt from Capital Gains Tax on any gain made on their main residence through Private Residence Relief. For most of those looking to downsize, the SDLT due on the property they are moving into will be small, and, in many cases, lower than estate agent’s fees.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures are in place to ensure that forensic testing, intelligence, analytical methodologies and other evidence relied upon by HMRC in enforcement action and criminal proceedings are lawfully obtained and independently validated where appropriate.

Evidence gathering within HMRC criminal investigations is subject to strict legal and procedural requirements as set out in legislation and related Codes of Practice and is in line with the standards expected across the Criminal Justice System.

Decisions to instigate criminal proceedings are made by an independent prosecuting authority following an assessment of the evidential sufficiency in the case.

HMRC's forensic activities are undertaken in accordance with relevant legislation, the Criminal Procedure Rules and the principles of the Forensic Science Regulator's Code of Practice. Accredited forensic activities meet the relevant requirements, including ISO/IEC 17025. For forensic activities pending accreditation, appropriate mitigations, quality controls and documented procedures are in place to ensure the work is carried out to the same forensic standards and remains auditable, reproducible and capable of independent review.

HMRC keeps its procedures and controls under regular review to ensure legal compliance and best practice. Amendments and updates will be applied following internal assurance activity conducted to ensure HMRC delivers to a constant standard. Changes may also be made following case feedback from either the Tax Tribunal or Criminal Courts.

The use of criminal powers by HMRC is routinely subject to external scrutiny. The HMRC's criminal investigation powers and safeguards at 2.2 Oversight of communication data powers and 2.3 External safeguards on the use of HMRC’s criminal investigation powers set out this external oversight.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
14th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC has undertaken, or plans to undertake, any review of enforcement actions, civil penalties or criminal proceedings that may have been affected by concerns regarding the reliability, authorisation, provenance or evidential status of material relied upon in those cases.

Evidence gathering within HMRC criminal investigations is subject to strict legal and procedural requirements as set out in legislation and related Codes of Practice and is in line with the standards expected across the Criminal Justice System.

Decisions to instigate criminal proceedings are made by an independent prosecuting authority following an assessment of the evidential sufficiency in the case.

HMRC's forensic activities are undertaken in accordance with relevant legislation, the Criminal Procedure Rules and the principles of the Forensic Science Regulator's Code of Practice. Accredited forensic activities meet the relevant requirements, including ISO/IEC 17025. For forensic activities pending accreditation, appropriate mitigations, quality controls and documented procedures are in place to ensure the work is carried out to the same forensic standards and remains auditable, reproducible and capable of independent review.

HMRC keeps its procedures and controls under regular review to ensure legal compliance and best practice. Amendments and updates will be applied following internal assurance activity conducted to ensure HMRC delivers to a constant standard. Changes may also be made following case feedback from either the Tax Tribunal or Criminal Courts.

The use of criminal powers by HMRC is routinely subject to external scrutiny. The HMRC's criminal investigation powers and safeguards at 2.2 Oversight of communication data powers and 2.3 External safeguards on the use of HMRC’s criminal investigation powers set out this external oversight.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
9th Jul 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in how many instances her Department has put mitigations for conflict of interest in place for (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials each year since 1 June 2024.

There are established processes in place for the declaration and management of interests held by ministers and senior civil servants, which ensure that steps are taken to avoid a conflict of interest or manage the perception of a conflict.

a) Information about the ministers’ interests can be found in List of Ministers’ Interests, which is published quarterly.

b) In line with the guidance in the Government’s Financial Reporting Manual, details of the interests held by members of HM Treasury’s Executive Management board that may conflict with their management responsibilities are published in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Data on the specific number of individual mitigation measures put in place across all senior officials is held within confidential records and localised systems. To extract and aggregate a precise historical count of individual mitigations since 1 June 2024 could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)