Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Prime Minister will amend the ministerial code to require all new Ministers to publish their tax returns.

The Ministerial Code was last updated on 22 December 2022. There are no plans for any further updates.

In submitting their ministerial interest form Ministers are asked to declare their relevant interests in a number of categories. One such area on which information is required is Ministers’ tax affairs. The Prime Minister has recently re-affirmed the importance of ensuring this duty is undertaken conscientiously.

As stated in the answer of 2 February 2023, Official Report, PQ 135428, the Prime Minister has stated his intention to publish his own tax return, which will be published in due course.

However, as has been the case under successive administrations, it is not the intention of the Government to require all Ministers to publish their tax returns. In public life, a balance must be struck between reasonable expectations of privacy and accountability. This reflects that Parliament has previously legislated to maintain the principle of taxpayer confidentiality.