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

Rachel Reeves
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

Green Party
Adrian Ramsay (Green - Waveney Valley)
Green Spokesperson (Treasury)

Liberal Democrat
Charlie Maynard (LD - Witney)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Chief Secretary to the Treasury)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Altrincham (Con - Excepted Hereditary)
Shadow Minister (Treasury)
Richard Fuller (Con - North Bedfordshire)
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Baroness Neville-Rolfe (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
Lord Livermore (Lab - Life peer)
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
James Murray (LAB - Ealing North)
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Lord Stockwood (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (HM Treasury)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Torsten Bell (Lab - Swansea West)
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Dan Tomlinson (Lab - Chipping Barnet)
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Lucy Rigby (Lab - Northampton North)
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Thursday 5th March 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
Friday 6th March 2026
National Insurance Contributions
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact on the revenue …
Secondary Legislation
Thursday 5th March 2026
Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2026
This Order designates specified central government bodies in relation to named government departments for the purpose of those departments’ supply …
Bills
Wednesday 4th March 2026
Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) (No. 2) Bill 2024-26
A Bill to Authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2025, 31 March 2026 and …
Dept. Publications
Thursday 5th March 2026
13:41

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
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: 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 modify Chapter 5 of Part 10 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1) (“ITEPA”), by inserting a new scheme of social security benefits and payments into Table B in section 677 of ITEPA so as to provide that no liability to income tax arises from those benefits and payments.
This Order designates specified central government bodies in relation to named government departments for the purpose of those departments’ supply estimates and resource accounts.
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
6,815 Signatures
(6,197 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
1,015 Signatures
(324 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
2,951 Signatures
(208 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.

154,007
Petition Closed
13 May 2025
closed 9 months, 3 weeks ago

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.

Prevent independent schools from having to pay VAT on fees and incurring business rates as a result of new legislation.

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
Luke Murphy Portrait
Luke Murphy (Labour - Basingstoke)
Treasury Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Jim Dickson Portrait
Jim Dickson (Labour - Dartford)
Treasury Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Treasury Committee: Upcoming Events
Treasury Committee - Private Meeting
9 Mar 2026, 1:30 p.m.
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Treasury Committee - Oral evidence
Spring Statement 2026
10 Mar 2026, 2 p.m.
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Treasury Committee - Oral evidence
Spring Statement 2026
11 Mar 2026, 9:30 a.m.
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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

26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that national investment strategies in [i] skills [ii] transport and [iii] infrastructure are at comparable levels between mayoral combined authorities and non mayoral combined authorities.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that all areas have strategies in place, and can drive forward improvements in transport, skills and infrastructure. Areas not part of a combined authority still receive investment in skills, transport and infrastructure, and are required to produce the relevant strategies.

In addition, for those areas which want greater devolution without being part of a Combined Authority, the government has invited them to bring forward with their neighbours an expression of interest for a Foundation Strategic Authority.

James Murray
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will conduct an assessment of national investment strategies in [i] skills [ii] transport and [iii] infrastructure for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland to ensure comparability with mayoral combined authorities.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that all areas have strategies in place, and can drive forward improvements in transport, skills and infrastructure. Areas not part of a combined authority still receive investment in skills, transport and infrastructure, and are required to produce the relevant strategies.

In addition, for those areas which want greater devolution without being part of a Combined Authority, the government has invited them to bring forward with their neighbours an expression of interest for a Foundation Strategic Authority.

James Murray
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers' on costs for consumers.

The government has consulted extensively with stakeholders about plans to require the registration of tax advisers who interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients.

This includes the 2024 consultation ‘Raising standards in the tax advice market: strengthening the regulatory framework and improving registration’ and a technical consultation on draft legislation published in summer 2025.

HMRC will continue to work with the industry ahead of implementation and consider concerns raised by stakeholder groups, including conveyancers.

HMRC has released a tax information and impact note on GOV.UK. The note details how the measure is expected to affect businesses that provide professional tax services and interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mandatory-tax-adviser-registration-with-hmrc/tax-advisers-to-register-with-hmrc-and-meet-minimum-standards

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of aligning National Insurance Contributions (NICs) earnings periods with those of income tax.

This would be a significant change, as National Insurance contributions (NICs) and Income Tax work quite differently at present.

NICs are charged on earnings on a per-employment, per-pay period basis, whereas Income Tax is an annual tax, and takes into account an individual’s total, cumulative earnings over the year. NICs also come with specific benefits e.g. State Pension, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Maternity Allowance, and Bereavement benefits. This is in line with NICs’ role as a social security contribution, into which contributions are made from people’s earnings while in work to support them when they are out of work. NICs are currently not payable by those over State Pension age. As such, amalgamating NICs into, or even bringing them closer into line with, income tax would come with major transitional costs and considerations

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) considered this in 2016 in its report on 'Closer alignment of Income Tax and National Insurance', which sets out their analysis on the range of challenges that would need to be taken into consideration before proceeding with such a radical reform as well as indications of potential winners and losers from closer alignment.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact on the revenue differential to the Treasury if Class 1 National Insurance Contributions calculations matched those of income tax.

This would be a significant change, as National Insurance contributions (NICs) and Income Tax work quite differently at present.

NICs are charged on earnings on a per-employment, per-pay period basis, whereas Income Tax is an annual tax, and takes into account an individual’s total, cumulative earnings over the year. NICs also come with specific benefits e.g. State Pension, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Maternity Allowance, and Bereavement benefits. This is in line with NICs’ role as a social security contribution, into which contributions are made from people’s earnings while in work to support them when they are out of work. NICs are currently not payable by those over State Pension age. As such, amalgamating NICs into, or even bringing them closer into line with, income tax would come with major transitional costs and considerations

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) considered this in 2016 in its report on 'Closer alignment of Income Tax and National Insurance', which sets out their analysis on the range of challenges that would need to be taken into consideration before proceeding with such a radical reform as well as indications of potential winners and losers from closer alignment.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91460 on Airports: Business Rates, if she will publish the revised guidance alongside the draft rating list.

The Valuation Office Agency's guidance will be published when the Rating List is compiled on 1 April 2026.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of changes to business rates for the Channel Tunnel from 2025-26 to 2026-27 as a consequence of the (i) business rate revaluation and (ii) surcharge on Rateable Values above £500,000; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of those changes on rail investment in Channel Tunnel services.

The Government cannot comment on the bills of individual ratepayers.

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

While rateable values have increased, the multipliers rates have decreased, meaning, from April, all ratepayers will face a lower multiplier than they do now, including those paying the high-value multiplier. The Government recognises that this does not necessarily mean a lower bill for everyone which is why, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation.

This support package includes a redesigned transitional relief scheme, which caps bill increases over the next 3 years. Compared to the 2023 transitional relief scheme, the redesigned scheme will provide more support for properties paying higher tax rates (such as the new high-value multiplier), including airports, hotels and key Industrial Strategy properties, who are facing large increases and are important for growth in the UK.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration has been given to the potential risk that the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers' may mislead consumers to assume their conveyancer or solicitor is providing full tax advice, which they are not authorised to give.

Guidance on whether you need to register as a tax adviser is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-and-when-you-need-to-register-as-a-tax-adviser-with-hmrc

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the assessment of the number of estates impacted by the changes to Inheritance Tax on unused pension funds and death benefits (published in the relevant Policy Paper on 21 July 2025) took into consideration the increase in asset values over the coming years.

Most unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to some pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions


The Government will continue to incentivise pension savings for their intended purpose of funding retirement, with ongoing tax reliefs on both contributions into pensions and on the growth of funds held within a pension scheme. Pensions continue to benefit from very significant tax benefits, with gross income tax and National Insurance contributions relief costing £78.2 billion in 2023-24. It is therefore crucial to ensure that tax reliefs on pensions are being used for their intended purpose – to encourage saving for retirement and later life – rather than for passing on wealth free of inheritance tax


Estates will continue to benefit from the normal nil-rate bands, reliefs, and exemptions available. For example, the nil-rate bands mean an estate can pass on up to £1 million with no inheritance tax liability and the general rules mean any transfers, including the payment of death benefits, to a spouse or civil partner are fully exempt from inheritance tax. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2030-31 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth


As is standard practice, the costing and the assessment of the number of estates expected to be impacted by the reforms take account of the forecasts for changes in asset values. For example, pension wealth is grown over time using the equity prices determinant from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) economic forecast. The OBR published detailed information on 30 January 2025 and this is available at https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/IHT-on-pensions-supplementary-release-Jan-2025.pdf.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential risk that changes to Inheritance Tax on unused pension funds and death benefits could discourage private savings for pensions.

Most unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to some pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions


The Government will continue to incentivise pension savings for their intended purpose of funding retirement, with ongoing tax reliefs on both contributions into pensions and on the growth of funds held within a pension scheme. Pensions continue to benefit from very significant tax benefits, with gross income tax and National Insurance contributions relief costing £78.2 billion in 2023-24. It is therefore crucial to ensure that tax reliefs on pensions are being used for their intended purpose – to encourage saving for retirement and later life – rather than for passing on wealth free of inheritance tax


Estates will continue to benefit from the normal nil-rate bands, reliefs, and exemptions available. For example, the nil-rate bands mean an estate can pass on up to £1 million with no inheritance tax liability and the general rules mean any transfers, including the payment of death benefits, to a spouse or civil partner are fully exempt from inheritance tax. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2030-31 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth


As is standard practice, the costing and the assessment of the number of estates expected to be impacted by the reforms take account of the forecasts for changes in asset values. For example, pension wealth is grown over time using the equity prices determinant from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) economic forecast. The OBR published detailed information on 30 January 2025 and this is available at https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/IHT-on-pensions-supplementary-release-Jan-2025.pdf.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how many (a) public engagements and (b) private meetings Ministers in their Department have undertaken related to the national conversation on defence and security.

Ministers in HM Treasury have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience. This includes attending and speaking at public and sector events.

James Murray
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many residents have been charged interest on late payments to HMRC in each year since 2015.

We do not hold aggregated data on the total number of individuals who have paid late payment interest.
Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Mar 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for each financial year since 2020-21, how many officials in HM Treasury have held a professional accountancy qualification.

We hold the below information on officials holding professional accountancy qualifications. In each of the below years, there were at least:

2022 – 28 officials

2023 – 42 officials

2024 – 38 officials

2025 – 43 officials

holding professional accountancy qualifications.

Currently, there are 53 officials in the department holding a professional accountancy qualification.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) her Department and (b) the arms length bodies sponsored by her Department are compliant with the Supreme Court ruling in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025].

Cabinet Office have set out the expectation that all duty bearers, including Departments and arm’s-length bodies, follow the law as clarified by the Supreme Court ruling and seek specialist legal advice where necessary. The Prime Minister has underlined this recently. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has submitted a draft Code of Practice on services, public functions and associations to Ministers, and Cabinet Office are reviewing it with the care it deserves. This will provide further guidance to duty bearers.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to protect businesses and investors from fraud where individuals found liable by UK courts are resident overseas.

The Government is committed to tackling fraud, a key aspect in ensuring that the UK is a strong place for investment.

As detailed in Economic Crime Plan 2023-2026, the Government is working to strengthen international standards and build partnerships with overseas financial centres to reduce the threat international illicit finance, including fraud, poses to the UK. Agencies including HMRC, the Serious Fraud Office, and the National Crime Agency collaborate with overseas partners on this.

The upcoming Fraud Strategy will detail the Government’s plans to prevent fraud and protect the public beyond 2026.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to equalise the VAT treatment of Further Education colleges and school sixth forms.

Further Education (FE) funding is vital to ensure people are being trained in the skills they need to thrive in the modern labour market. The 2025 Spending Review provided an additional £1.2 billion per year by 2028-29 for skills and £1.7 billion of capital funding to help colleges maintain the condition of their estate. In addition, the Government is providing £375 million of capital investment to support the FE system to accommodate increasing student numbers.

For their non-business activity, FE colleges are unable to reclaim VAT incurred. We operate VAT refund schemes for schools and academies which are designed variously to ensure that VAT is not a burden on local taxation, and that academies are not disincentivised to leave LA control. FE colleges do not meet the criteria for either scheme.

In relation to business activity, FE colleges enjoy an exemption from VAT which means that they do not have to charge VAT to students but cannot recover it either.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the increased cost to businesses as a result of the expansion of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), including directly through paying the increased SDIL and indirectly through the demand of product reformulation.

The changes to SDIL announced at Budget 2025 were confirmed following extensive industry engagement through the ‘Strengthening the Soft Drinks Industry Levy’ consultation, which was open from 28 April to 21 July 2025. Representations from businesses, and the trade bodies representing them, were received and considered as part of this process.

On 25 November 2025, the government published its summary of responses to the consultation. An assessment of impacts – including economic impacts for businesses – of the announced policy changes can be found within the Summary of Responses document here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-soft-drinks-industry-levy/outcome/strengthening-the-soft-drinks-industry-levy-summary-of-responses#assessment-of-impacts

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Mar 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Statement of Strategic Priorities for the National Wealth Fund in March 2025 on Northern Ireland.

The Strategic Plan sets out the National Wealth Fund’s ambition to accelerate place-based investment across all four nations of the UK. It has a dedicated director based in Northern Ireland, and opened a Belfast office in December 2024.

The National Wealth Fund is already investing in Northern Ireland, for example in rural broadband development

James Murray
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 5p cut to fuel duty on levels of social mobility in rural areas.

The Chancellor considers a wide range of impacts when taking decisions on tax policy. At Budget 2025, the Government announced that the 5p cut in fuel duty would be extended until the end of August 2026, with rates then gradually returning to March 2022 levels by March 2027. The planned increase in line with inflation for 2026/27 will also not take place, with RPI uprating resuming from 2027/28 onwards.

The Government’s decision on fuel duty will save the average car driver £49 in 2026/27. Those driving more than average, which includes drivers in rural communities, will generally experience larger savings.

The Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme provides a 5p per litre reduction to motorists buying fuel in certain areas. The areas included in the scheme demonstrate certain characteristics such as: pump prices much higher than the UK average; remoteness leading to high fuel transport costs from refinery to filling station; and relatively low sales meaning that retailers cannot benefit from bulk discounts.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Mar 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to publish final legislation and guidance for ISA providers on the operation of the ISA regime from April 2027.

ISA reform forms part of our strategy to support people into the higher returns that investing can provide.

Rules will be introduced to avoid circumvention of the lower limit for cash ISAs where an individual is under the age of 65. The industry is being consulted on the draft rules, which will be made by amendments to the ISA Regulations and laid in Parliament ahead of April 2027.   Building societies and mortgage lenders are part of the industry consultation.

We will consult on the final rules as soon as these are ready, so that firms have enough notice before the new limit applies in April 2027.

The availability and pricing of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. However, mortgage rates are influenced by a range of factors, including Base Rate, which has been cut six times since this Government came to power.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Mar 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the use of Stocks and Shares ISAs to circumvent revised Cash ISA limits due to be introduced in April 2027.

ISA reform forms part of our strategy to support people into the higher returns that investing can provide.

Rules will be introduced to avoid circumvention of the lower limit for cash ISAs where an individual is under the age of 65. The industry is being consulted on the draft rules, which will be made by amendments to the ISA Regulations and laid in Parliament ahead of April 2027.   Building societies and mortgage lenders are part of the industry consultation.

We will consult on the final rules as soon as these are ready, so that firms have enough notice before the new limit applies in April 2027.

The availability and pricing of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. However, mortgage rates are influenced by a range of factors, including Base Rate, which has been cut six times since this Government came to power.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Mar 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reforms to Cash ISAs on (a) the balance sheets of building societies and (b) mortgage (i) availability and (ii) pricing.

ISA reform forms part of our strategy to support people into the higher returns that investing can provide.

Rules will be introduced to avoid circumvention of the lower limit for cash ISAs where an individual is under the age of 65. The industry is being consulted on the draft rules, which will be made by amendments to the ISA Regulations and laid in Parliament ahead of April 2027.   Building societies and mortgage lenders are part of the industry consultation.

We will consult on the final rules as soon as these are ready, so that firms have enough notice before the new limit applies in April 2027.

The availability and pricing of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. However, mortgage rates are influenced by a range of factors, including Base Rate, which has been cut six times since this Government came to power.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Mar 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many outstanding cases involving individuals subject to the Loan Charge she expects to be resolved as a result of the recommendations of the McCann Review.

At Budget 2024 the Government announced a new independent review of the loan charge. The purpose of the review was to bring the matter to a close for people who have not settled and paid their loan charge liabilities. The review identified affordability as a key barrier preventing those individuals from settling and made recommendations to remove this barrier.

The Government has gone further in supporting people on the lowest incomes by providing an additional £5,000 deduction for those in scope of the review. This entirely removes approximately 10,000 individuals from the charge. Most others will see their liabilities reduced by at least half.

Under the review recommendations, an individual earning £30,000 who used a disguised remuneration scheme for three years would have their liability reduced by 66 percent. Under the Government’s plans, they will instead see 89 percent written off. It represents the Government’s attempt to provide a fair route to resolution for those who have not settled with HMRC. In turn, those people need to come forward and engage with HMRC in good faith.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of exempting the state pension from taxation.

Exempting the State Pension from income tax entirely would undermine the public services we all rely on, including the NHS.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of raising the personal allowance in line with future increases in the State Pension on pensioners in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The Government is committed to making sure older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve in retirement. The State Pension is the foundation of the support available to them. Over the course of this Parliament, the yearly amount of the full new State Pension is currently projected to go up by around £2,100. This reflects the Government’s commitment to the Triple Lock for the duration of this Parliament. This will increase the basic and new State Pension by 4.8% next April, boosting pensioner incomes by up to £575 a year and strengthening retirement security.

The Chancellor has said that those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax over this Parliament. At the Budget, the Government announced that it will achieve this by easing the administrative burden for pensioners so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027/28. The Government will set out more details in due course.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HMRC will publish the detailed guidance firms will need in order to comply with the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers'.

HMRC has published guidance on GOV.UK to support tax advisers who are required to register with HMRC.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-and-when-you-need-to-register-as-a-tax-adviser-with-hmrc

Further guidance will be published before May 2026 and HMRC is working with key industry stakeholders to get the detail of this guidance right.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on the smooth functioning of the property market, of the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers'.

The government has consulted extensively with stakeholders about plans to require the registration of tax advisers who interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients.

This includes the 2024 consultation ‘Raising standards in the tax advice market: strengthening the regulatory framework and improving registration’ and a technical consultation on draft legislation published in summer 2025.

HMRC will continue to work with the industry ahead of implementation and consider concerns raised by stakeholder groups, including conveyancers.

HMRC has released a tax information and impact note on GOV.UK. The note details how the measure is expected to affect businesses that provide professional tax services and interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mandatory-tax-adviser-registration-with-hmrc/tax-advisers-to-register-with-hmrc-and-meet-minimum-standards

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's statistics entitled Non-domestic rating: change in rateable value of rating lists, England and Wales, 2026 Revaluation, published on 26 November 2025, for what reason the average Rateable Values of civil airports have increased by 295%.

The revaluation is required to be carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date, 01 April 2024 for the 2026 rating list.

The current rating list valuation is carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date, 01 April 2021 for the 2023 rating list.

The annual value at each valuation reflects the economic circumstances at each valuation date. The average Rateable Values of civil airports increase 295% reflects the different economic circumstances at each valuation date.

At the Budget, the Government published a Call for Evidence seeking further evidence on the role business rates and its reliefs play in investment. Through this Call for Evidence, the Government is considering options to provide greater predictability and stability in the business rates system for long-term, high-value investments. The Call for Evidence has recently closed, and a Government response will be published in due course.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the role of tax incentives in boosting investment in small and mid-sized quoted companies.

This government is committed to supporting founders and innovative companies to start, scale, stay and list in the UK.

At Budget we increased the generosity of our enterprise tax reliefs, to support scaling companies raise finance and attract top talent, and committed to being a better customer to innovative businesses, through the use of advance market commitments and wider procurement reforms.

We have also increased the financial capacity of the British Business Bank, enabling them to invest £5 billion into scaling companies over this Parliament.

The Government also launched a Call for Evidence on Tax Support for Entrepreneurs, examining how the tax system supports investment in high growth companies and exploring potential options to go further. The consultation closed on 28 February 2026.

We have already delivered an ambitious set of reforms to make it easier for firms to list and stay on UK markets, and capital markets are a core pillar of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, launched at Mansion House.

The UK is a hub for growth capital, with UK growth markets providing funding to growing companies from across the world. Over the last 10 years, over half of all capital raised on European growth markets was raised on AIM.

The government maintains a range of targeted tax reliefs for growth market shares, supporting capital raising for quoted companies, and investors in those shares. This supports growth in the broader UK economy.

Collectively these measures support companies access investment across their life cycle, alongside supporting access to government contracts and talent. We will monitor and evaluate the impact of these measures.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of its current policies in supporting entrepreneurship and the scale-up of UK businesses.

This government is committed to supporting founders and innovative companies to start, scale, stay and list in the UK.

At Budget we increased the generosity of our enterprise tax reliefs, to support scaling companies raise finance and attract top talent, and committed to being a better customer to innovative businesses, through the use of advance market commitments and wider procurement reforms.

We have also increased the financial capacity of the British Business Bank, enabling them to invest £5 billion into scaling companies over this Parliament.

The Government also launched a Call for Evidence on Tax Support for Entrepreneurs, examining how the tax system supports investment in high growth companies and exploring potential options to go further. The consultation closed on 28 February 2026.

We have already delivered an ambitious set of reforms to make it easier for firms to list and stay on UK markets, and capital markets are a core pillar of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, launched at Mansion House.

The UK is a hub for growth capital, with UK growth markets providing funding to growing companies from across the world. Over the last 10 years, over half of all capital raised on European growth markets was raised on AIM.

The government maintains a range of targeted tax reliefs for growth market shares, supporting capital raising for quoted companies, and investors in those shares. This supports growth in the broader UK economy.

Collectively these measures support companies access investment across their life cycle, alongside supporting access to government contracts and talent. We will monitor and evaluate the impact of these measures.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support entrepreneurship and the transition of high-growth UK businesses from start-up to scale-up.

This government is committed to supporting founders and innovative companies to start, scale, stay and list in the UK.

At Budget we increased the generosity of our enterprise tax reliefs, to support scaling companies raise finance and attract top talent, and committed to being a better customer to innovative businesses, through the use of advance market commitments and wider procurement reforms.

We have also increased the financial capacity of the British Business Bank, enabling them to invest £5 billion into scaling companies over this Parliament.

The Government also launched a Call for Evidence on Tax Support for Entrepreneurs, examining how the tax system supports investment in high growth companies and exploring potential options to go further. The consultation closed on 28 February 2026.

We have already delivered an ambitious set of reforms to make it easier for firms to list and stay on UK markets, and capital markets are a core pillar of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, launched at Mansion House.

The UK is a hub for growth capital, with UK growth markets providing funding to growing companies from across the world. Over the last 10 years, over half of all capital raised on European growth markets was raised on AIM.

The government maintains a range of targeted tax reliefs for growth market shares, supporting capital raising for quoted companies, and investors in those shares. This supports growth in the broader UK economy.

Collectively these measures support companies access investment across their life cycle, alongside supporting access to government contracts and talent. We will monitor and evaluate the impact of these measures.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a legal right to basic banking services for charities.

Charities make a valuable contribution across the country, and it is important that they can access suitable banking services.

Decisions about the provision of banking services, including whether to offer accounts to particular organisations, are primarily commercial matters for banks who must meet strict financial crime and customer diligence obligations. Charities and community groups often have more complex account structures (for example, multiple trustees), making their banking needs more expensive and operationally demanding. The varying complexity and features of non-personal accounts, together with financial crime obligations, mean there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution for the sector.

At the Government’s encouragement, however, UK Finance - working with banks and charity representative groups - have produced the Voluntary Organisation Banking Guide, which supports charities and community groups in accessing banking services. This includes an account finder tool for charities and community groups.

The Government continues to monitor evidence on access to banking services, including for charities and community groups, while recognising the need to balance customer protection with providers’ obligations to prevent financial crime and maintain the integrity of the financial system.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 87788, whether airport turnover and revenues were a material consideration in the determination of airports' Rateable Value in the revaluation of business rates; and what information airports are required to pass to the Valuation Office Agency.

The Rateable Value of a property is a measure of its annual rental value. The best evidence to use in undertaking such valuations is actual rental evidence. For some classes of property there is a paucity or indeed no rental evidence as these properties are rarely or never let on the open market. In such cases Valuers use other methods such as the Receipts and Expenditure method, which estimates the rental value from an analysis of the trading accounts of the business occupying them.

When valuing by Receipts & Expenditure method considering accounts is a material consideration. The valuation is required to be carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date (01 April 2024 for the 2026 rating list). The accounts available for the years preceding that date should be considered to ensure that they fairly reflect the proper trading position at the valuation date. The outcomes of such valuations are then compared to the limited rental evidence available.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including the weight of the vehicle in the review of Vehicle Excise Duty.

Vehicle Excise Duty is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. For certain vehicle classifications, VED liability is partially calculated in accordance with the vehicle’s weight, reflecting the greater road damage caused by heavier vehicles. For example, Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) VED rates are set based on a vehicle’s weight, suspension and trailer.

The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cumulative number of pensioners who will be liable for income tax between 2026 and 2031 as a result of the the Personal Allowance threshold being frozen; and what assessment she has made of the total additional tax revenue from those of pensionable age over this period.

The number of people forecast to pay tax by marginal rate can be found in Table 3.19 in the OBR’s November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook – detailed forecast tables: receipts, linked below:

https://obr.uk/download/november-2025-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1764165511

The previous Government made the decision to maintain income tax thresholds at their current levels from April 2021 until April 2028 and this is reflected in the numbers.

The Chancellor has said that those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax over this Parliament. At the Budget, the Government announced that it will achieve this by easing the administrative burden for pensioners so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027/28. The Government will set out more details in due course.
Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans her Department has to improve access to finance for small and mid-sized quoted companies.

The UK’s capital markets play a key role in delivering on the government’s growth mission. We have already delivered an ambitious set of reforms to make it easier for firms to start, scale, list and stay on UK markets, and capital markets are a core pillar of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, launched at Mansion House.

The UK is also a hub for growth capital, with UK growth markets providing funding to growing companies from across the world. Over the last 10 years, over half of all capital raised on European growth markets was raised on AIM.

The government maintains a range of targeted tax reliefs for growth market shares, supporting capital raising for listed businesses, and investors in those shares. This supports growth in the broader UK economy.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether a film can qualify for the AVEC and IFTC tax credits if all other eligible criteria is met but all the images and audio were created by AI.

Details on the eligibility criteria for the Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) and Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-audio-visual-expenditure-credits-for-corporation-tax.

The Government continues to monitor the use of AI in film production and keeps the tax system under constant review.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department is taking to help prevent films that have had their audiovisual material created by generative AI applications from claiming the AVEC and IFTC tax credits.

Details on the eligibility criteria for the Audio Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) and Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-audio-visual-expenditure-credits-for-corporation-tax.

The Government continues to monitor the use of AI in film production and keeps the tax system under constant review.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Loan Charge and HMRC’s approach to dealing with so-called disguised remuneration schemes.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 February 2026 to UIN 109841.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the value-for-money of the Loan Charge.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 February 2026 to UIN 109841.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many outstanding Loan Charge cases will be settled as a result of the McCann Review.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 February 2026 to UIN 109841.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
25th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how and when her Department plans to roll out the 'Making Tax Digital' scheme across turnover brackets.

MTD for Income Tax will be introduced across the UK from April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. It will be extended to those with qualifying income over £30,000 from April 2027 and for those with qualifying income over £20,000 in April 2028.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on modernising adviser charging rules.

HM Treasury engages regularly with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on a range of regulatory issues, including the regulation of financial advice.

The FCA plans to consult on simplifying and consolidating its investment advice rules and guidance to reduce unnecessary complexity and to clarify its regulatory expectations under the Consumer Duty. This will also cover the rules relating to ongoing advice services to make sure they are appropriate and relevant in future. An FCA consultation paper is expected by the end of Q1 2026.

In addition, the Government is working closely with the FCA to roll out targeted support for consumers from April this year. This represents the biggest reform of the financial advice and guidance landscape in more than a decade, and will represent a step change in the support that consumers receive to invest. Targeted support can be provided free at the point of use with firms recovering costs through cross-subsidisation, which is how HM Treasury expects most firms to operationalise the service. Firms can choose to charge a fee, but will need to follow FCA rules around fair value.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.230 of the Autumn Budget 2025, what steps she is taking to maintain the viability of the Lifetime ISA.

At Autumn Budget 25 the government announced that it will publish a consultation in early 2026 on the implementation of a new, simpler ISA product to support first time buyers to buy a home. Once available, this new product will be offered in place of the Lifetime ISA.

The new design will include the government bonus being paid at the point the individual makes a withdrawal for a house purchase. This removes the need for a withdrawal charge and means a saver can withdraw funds, should their circumstances change, without penalty.

It will remain possible to open a Lifetime ISA until the new product becomes available and for account holders to continue to save into their Lifetime ISA in line with the existing rules indefinitely.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.230 of the Autumn Budget 2025, whether she plans to publish the consultation on the new ISA product before the Easter recess.

At Autumn Budget 25 the government announced that it will publish a consultation in early 2026 on the implementation of a new, simpler ISA product to support first time buyers to buy a home. Once available, this new product will be offered in place of the Lifetime ISA.

The new design will include the government bonus being paid at the point the individual makes a withdrawal for a house purchase. This removes the need for a withdrawal charge and means a saver can withdraw funds, should their circumstances change, without penalty.

It will remain possible to open a Lifetime ISA until the new product becomes available and for account holders to continue to save into their Lifetime ISA in line with the existing rules indefinitely.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress she has made on the Retail Investment Campaign.

The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide. That is why the Chancellor’s Leeds Reforms included bold actions to boost retail investment.

The Government welcomes the industry-led retail investment campaign which will promote the benefits of investing to the public, and will launch in April 2026. The inaugural meeting of the campaign steering group was held on 22 September 2025, and the steering group has met regularly since then. The Investment Association is the secretariat to the campaign, and HM Treasury supports the campaign in an observer capacity.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
24th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings of the Retail Investment Campaign steering group have taken place.

The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide. That is why the Chancellor’s Leeds Reforms included bold actions to boost retail investment.

The Government welcomes the industry-led retail investment campaign which will promote the benefits of investing to the public, and will launch in April 2026. The inaugural meeting of the campaign steering group was held on 22 September 2025, and the steering group has met regularly since then. The Investment Association is the secretariat to the campaign, and HM Treasury supports the campaign in an observer capacity.

Lucy Rigby
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential financial impact for electric vehicle owners caused by the Vehicle Excise Duty becoming payable on EVs.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. As announced by the previous Government at Autumn Statement 2022, from April 2025, zero emission and hybrid cars, vans and motorcycles now pay VED in a similar way to petrol and diesel vehicles. Revenue from motoring taxes helps ensure we can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect.

The rates payable by electric vehicle owners are set out in the V149 rates tables published by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-of-vehicle-tax-v149

The Tax Information and Impact Note published alongside Autumn Finance Bill 2022 set out the expected individual, business, equalities and other impacts of the change, and it can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025

The government remains fully committed to the electric vehicle transition, and at Budget 2025 announced £3.6bn of additional support for the electric vehicle market. This included £1.3 billion of additional funding for the Electric Car Grant, £200 million for chargepoint rollout, and increasing the Expensive Car Supplement threshold to £50,000 for electric vehicles.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Feb 2026
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has she made of the potential financial impact of the proposed pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles for those with hybrid vehicles, who also pay fuel duty.

As announced at Budget 2025, the Government is introducing Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, recognising that electric vehicles (EVs) contribute to congestion and wear and tear on the roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty. The taxation of motoring is a critical source of funding for public services and investment in infrastructure.

PHEVs have the capacity to drive in either electric or petrol mode and will continue to pay fuel duty on miles driven in petrol mode. In recognition of this, they will be subject to a reduced eVED rate of 1.5 pence per mile upon its introduction in April 2028 – half the rate that will apply to fully electric cars.

An average EV driving 8,000 miles per year will pay £240, or £20 a month in eVED (and no fuel duty), with a PHEV paying £120 in eVED (and fuel duty on petrol/diesel used). In contrast, an average petrol/diesel car driving the same distance will pay around £480 in fuel duty.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)