Asked by: Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many organisations were liable for the apprenticeship levy in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The number of employers that paid the Apprenticeship Levy in the 2022 to 2023, 2023 to 2024, and 2024 to 2025 tax years are outlined in the table below. Figures have been provided on a tax-year receipts basis and rounded to the nearest 100.
Table: Number of employers paying the Apprenticeship Levy
| 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
Employers | 34,200 | 36,000 | 36,900 |
Asked by: Lord Redwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK’s economic performance compared to the EU and USA, considering GDP per capita.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The latest data from the ONS show that GDP per capita rose by 1.1 per cent in 2025, the fastest of any European G7 economy. Over the same period, GDP per capita rose 1.6 per cent in the United States and 1.3 per cent in the EU.
UK GDP per capita has grown by 1.0 per cent since the start of the Parliament, whereas it declined by 0.2 per cent during the previous Parliament.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to section 5 of the Government Efficiency Framework, published on 24 November 2025, if she will publish the most recent quarterly efficiencies report provided to her department by each government department and public body in scope of the reporting requirements.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Departments are required to report their efficiency savings within the performance section of their Annual Reports and Accounts (ARAs) from 2026-27.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential Barnett consequences arising from the proposed expansion of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme is being delivered in England, Wales and Scotland.
Responsibility for energy policy in Northern Ireland sits with the Northern Ireland Executive. However, the UK Government will provide funding for the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver comparable support in the usual way.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a reduced rate of VAT for businesses in Northern Ireland on economic growth and competitiveness; and whether her Department has considered piloting such a measure in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
VAT operates on a UK-wide basis and is a broad-based tax on consumption with the 20 per cent standard rate applying to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26.
Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the average cost to businesses for securing Certificate of Origin documentation.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC does not hold information about the average cost to businesses of securing origin documentation.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of issuing retail bonds to support increased defence investment.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The majority of government borrowing is financed through the issuance of UK government bonds (known as gilts) by the UK Debt Management Office (DMO). In addition, some of the government’s financing is raised in the retail savings market through products offered by National Savings and Investments (NS&I). Finance raised via gilts or NS&I products is generally not tied to specific areas of government spending, in order to offer the best value-for-money for taxpayers.
The government keeps the introduction of new debt financing instruments under regular review.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 April 2026 to Question 124367, what the terms of reference were for the open book exercise.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive.
The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to WPQ 124367, answered 13th April at 11:04, who commissioned the initial open book exercise.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive.
The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Certificates of Origin were granted to UK businesses for goods destined for the EU in 2025.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC does not hold information on how many Certificates of Origin were granted to UK businesses for goods destined for the EU in 2025.