Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the rate of Video Games Expenditure Credits for bigger budget games to 39% and removing the 80% expenditure cap.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the importance of the video games sector and the contribution it makes to growth. Support for video games companies is provided through the tax system and through funding.
Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) provides a generous rate of relief of 34% on qualifying UK video games development costs. In 2023-24, £327 million of Corporation Tax was relieved through video game tax relief. VGEC is available to any company and project that meet the qualifying criteria, including larger budget games.
The Government is not currently considering increasing the generosity of the relief.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help support businesses experiencing financial stress that are awaiting a non‑domestic rates revaluation; and what the average time frame is for rates revaluations on non-domestic rates.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Every three years the Valuation Office Agency carries out a revaluation of non-domestic properties. The 2026 revaluation is due to come into effect on 1 April 2026, based on values from 1 April 2024.
In recognition of the impact of the revaluation on bills, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion, to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase. The Government is introducing new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish data held by HM Revenue and Customs on: (a) the ports of entry used for low-value imports currently eligible for relief under the Low Value Import exemption, (b) what proportion of such consignments, by value and by number, enter the United Kingdom via bellyhold air cargo, (c) what proportion of such consignments, by value and by number, enter the United Kingdom through Heathrow Airport as their point of entry, and (d) what proportion of total cargo at Heathrow Airport such consignments represent, by value and by number.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
A) Based on data available to HMRC for 2024/25 the ports of entry for low value imports are:
ABD | Aberdeen |
ABZ | Aberdeen Airport |
BEL | Belfast |
BFS | Belfast International Airport |
BHX | Birmingham Airport |
BOH | Bournemouth (Hurn) Airport |
CWL | Cardiff (Wales) Airport |
DEU | Dover / Eurotunnel |
DOG | Rye Wharf |
DOV | Dover |
EDI | Edinburgh Airport |
EMA | East Midlands Airport |
EUT | Eurotunnel |
FIS | Fishguard |
FXT | Felixstowe |
GLA | Glasgow Airport |
GRI | Grimsby |
HEY | Heysham |
HLD | Holyhead |
HRH | Harwich |
HUL | Hull |
IMM | Immingham |
KIL | Killingholme |
LBA | Leeds Bradford Airport |
LGP | London Gateway |
LGW | London Gatwick Airport |
LHR | London Heathrow Airport |
LIV | Liverpool |
LON | London |
LSA | London Stansted Airport |
LTN | London Luton Airport |
MAN | Manchester Airport |
MID | Middlesbrough |
MIL | Milford |
MME | Durham Tees Valley (Teesside) Airport |
MNC | Manchester |
NCL | Newcastle Airport |
NGO | Dollands Moor |
PIK | Prestwick Airport |
POO | Poole |
PTM | Portsmouth |
PUF | Purfleet |
RCS | London Thamesport (sites for Temporary Storage) |
RUN | Runcorn |
STN | Southampton |
THP | Thamesport |
TIL | Tilbury (sites for Temporary Storage) |
TYN | Tyne |
B) HMRC holds data on low value imports although does not routinely collect consignment level information. A single declaration may cover multiple consignments, meaning the volume of declarations does not correspond to the number of individual parcels entering the UK. We define value as the economic value of goods declared for importation that move through a port that includes goods into free circulation and entering special procedures. We define the entries into the ports as where the goods are stored for the purpose of customs checks.
We are therefore unable to provide proportions based on numbers of consignments or to distinguish freight moved in the hold of passenger aircraft from freight moved on cargo flights.
C) For the same reason as set out in B, we are unable to provide information on the number of consignments. Available data on the declared trade value and number of declarations of low value imports eligible for relief under the low value import exemption in 2024-25 are shown in the following table:
| Declared trade value | Number of declarations* |
All low value imports | £5.9 bn | 1,282,000 |
Low value imports declared as air transport (all ports of entry) | £4.8 bn | 963,000 |
Low value air transport imports declared at London Heathrow | £2.1 bn | 203,000 |
*Rounding to the nearest thousand.
D) The declared trade value of goods arriving at Heathrow via air in 2024-25 was £162bn. Low value imports by air transport account for just under 5 per cent of declarations and around 1 per cent of the value of goods imported into Heathrow in 2024-25.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her department plans to take to support small and medium-sized enterprises who no longer qualify for business rates relief due to the VOAs reclassification of flexible office spaces as single properties.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for valuing non-domestic property for business rates purposes. They are required to maintain accurate rating lists in England impartially and independently of central Government, and must consider developments in relevant caselaw.
As a result of case law developments, the VOA have concluded that, rather than each room within a serviced office being assessed separately, most serviced offices will need to be assessed as a single property, unless clear evidence demonstrates a need to have separate assessments. Each serviced office is looked at on a case-by-case basis, and the VOA are addressing properties where they have received legal advice, or where unit of assessment issues are brought to its attention. Reviewing a small number of cases will help clarify the application of legislation on serviced offices. At this time, there is no sector-wide review of serviced office assessments underway. The VOA will continue to monitor legal developments and update its approach as needed.
A single rating assessment would mean occupying businesses will face no business rates bill at all. Instead, the serviced office provider will be liable for business rates on the entire assessment. It is for serviced office providers to decide if they will pass the cost on to their tenants, depending on contractual agreements.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her department has made of the potential impact of the Valuation Office Agency's reclassification of flexible office spaces as single properties on (a) the level of business rates and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for valuing non-domestic property for business rates purposes. They are required to maintain accurate rating lists in England impartially and independently of central Government, and must consider developments in relevant caselaw.
As a result of case law developments, the VOA have concluded that, rather than each room within a serviced office being assessed separately, most serviced offices will need to be assessed as a single property, unless clear evidence demonstrates a need to have separate assessments. Each serviced office is looked at on a case-by-case basis, and the VOA are addressing properties where they have received legal advice, or where unit of assessment issues are brought to its attention. Reviewing a small number of cases will help clarify the application of legislation on serviced offices. At this time, there is no sector-wide review of serviced office assessments underway. The VOA will continue to monitor legal developments and update its approach as needed.
A single rating assessment would mean occupying businesses will face no business rates bill at all. Instead, the serviced office provider will be liable for business rates on the entire assessment. It is for serviced office providers to decide if they will pass the cost on to their tenants, depending on contractual agreements.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 111693, on Business Rates: Valuation, if he will number of times that forecasts or estimates were given by the Valuation Office Agency to Ministers from 1 April 2024 to the publication of the draft Rating List.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) provided valuation data and analysis on the non-domestic property market to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury throughout the preparation stages of the 2026 revaluation.
The VOA provided five data drops from 1 April 2024 to the publication of the draft Rating List.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has she made of the impact of section 57 of the Finance Act 2012 on (a) investment costs for charities and (b) the ability of charities to access the low‑cost, tax‑efficient vehicles available to pension schemes.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that generating investment returns can be important for supporting charitable purposes and that access to appropriate, cost effective investment vehicles is an important consideration for the sector. Charities are able to invest through a range of authorised UK fund structures designed to meet their needs, including Charity Authorised Investment Funds (CAIFs), which give a favourable tax treatment to eligible UK charities.
The Government has received representations in relation to the application of s57 of the Finance Act 2012 to charities. These are being considered through the normal policy processes.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of how the level of usability of the Gift Aid system affects donor behaviour, including for younger donors or other donors who may be digitally excluded.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has worked collaboratively with a broad range of charity sector stakeholders and other government departments including DCMS to explore the potential of the Future of Gift Aid project and wider Gift Aid modernisation.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on launching a full review of Gift Aid, including digital automation and linking donations to personal tax accounts.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has worked collaboratively with a broad range of charity sector stakeholders and other government departments including DCMS to explore the potential of the Future of Gift Aid project and wider Gift Aid modernisation.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for philanthropic giving of proposals to link charitable donations to individual bank accounts.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has worked collaboratively with a broad range of charity sector stakeholders and other government departments including DCMS to explore the potential of the Future of Gift Aid project and wider Gift Aid modernisation.