Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has considered (a) reviewing tax relief eligibility for childcare costs for freelancers in irregular employment sectors such as film and television and (b) enabling greater flexibility in the use of Government-funded childcare hours for (i) nannies and (ii) alternative provision outside standard nursery settings.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
It is our ambition that families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, improving opportunity for every child and work choices for every parent. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school.
The government recognises that evidencing income can be more complex for self-employed individuals, particularly for those with variable or seasonal earnings. That is why self-employed parents are only expected to meet the minimum income requirement over the entire tax-year (and not quarterly as is the case for employees) to qualify for Tax-Free Childcare.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the level of economic growth required to support long‑term defence spending commitments.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
This Government has announced a significant uplift in defence spending over the Spending Review period, paid for by a reduction to ODA. This uplift is underpinned by our non-negotiable fiscal rules; reducing borrowing whilst investing in defence to keep the UK and allies safe and thus providing the stability that underpins the plans to boost economic growth. Future years’ spending allocations will be considered at the next Spending Review in 2027, which will be underpinned by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility’s economic and fiscal forecasts.
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 ensure that banks respond more rapidly to reported fraud by freezing suspected scam accounts immediately pending investigation.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this appalling crime.
Financial institutions are required to maintain robust systems and controls to detect and prevent financial crime under the Money Laundering Regulations. Banks must report certain suspicious activity, including fraud, to the National Crime Agency under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and banks may already freeze or block accounts where suspicious activity is detected.
We introduced new rules allowing banks to delay and investigate suspicious payments for up to 72 hours. This supports interception of suspicious payments — complementing existing account‑freezing powers — by giving firms more time to prevent funds reaching fraudsters when complex cases are identified
As set out in the Fraud Strategy published on 9 March, we are now taking decisive additional action to reinforce the system‑wide response. The new Online Crime Centre will bring together law enforcement, intelligence agencies and private‑sector partners, including the financial services industry, to improve real‑time data sharing and analysis, helping firms spot suspected scam accounts sooner and act more quickly to freeze or restrict them where appropriate. Alongside this, we have launched a call for evidence on economic‑crime information sharing to remove barriers that currently prevent firms acting on intelligence earlier.
The Strategy also tasks the FCA with developing best‑practice guidance on preventing APP fraud and money‑mule activity, supporting firms to identify, investigate and close suspicious accounts more effectively, and improving protections for customers at risk.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with financial institutions on improving access to affordable credit for small businesses.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to ensuring that small businesses across the UK can access the finance they need to start, grow and thrive. Treasury ministers, including me in my capacity as Economic Secretary, regularly meet with both traditional and newer banks, and wider market actors across the financial services sector, to discuss a range of matters.
The chief focus of this Government is growth, and the financial services sector clearly has an important role to play in supporting the real economy. The UK benefits here from a diverse range of high-street banks, specialist lenders and fintechs, supported by Government policies such as Commercial Credit Data Sharing and British Business Bank programmes, for example the Growth Guarantee Scheme and Community ENABLE Funding. In the Spending Review last year, the Treasury gave the British Business Bank a significant uplift of £6.6 billion, increasing the Bank’s total financial capacity to £25.6 billion. This settlement represents a major expansion of the Bank’s ability to support SME finance, crowd in private investment, and deliver new programmes such as Industrial Strategy Growth Capital and expanded regional and sectoral funds.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 79 of the Budget Policy Costings 2025, published in November 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction of the Cash ISA limit to £12,000 on revenues to the Exchequer, separate to the other measures included in that estimate.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2025, the Government announced that the annual ISA allowance will be kept at £20,000 with the cash ISA limit set at £12,000 from April 2027 for under-65s. This is part of the wider strategy aimed at supporting people to get into investing, including Targeted Support, which will be available from April 2026. In addition, financial services firms will provide new, easily navigable ways for people to find the right UK investment for them.
The Government is introducing an age carve out for those aged 65 and above in recognition that they may need more flexibility in how they manage their savings as they approach retirement. Savers over the age of 65 will continue to be able to save up to £20,000 in a cash ISA each year.
The Exchequer Impact for the Reduction of the Cash ISA limit to £12,000 for under-65s from April 2027 measure in isolation is:
| 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 | 2029-30 | 2030-31 |
Exchequer Impact (£m) | 0 | +5 | +15 | +30 | +45 |
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure consumers are protected from oil price increases.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government is engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. Households should be reassured the UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies, and there are no issues with fuel supply.
The government recognises the pressures facing households who rely on heating oil. This is why we are providing an additional £53 million of targeted support for those vulnerable households who would struggle to pay an upfront lump sum to top up their tanks in order to maintain their heating and hot water.
This funding has been allocated based on census data, reflecting where the greatest need is. Northern Ireland will receive £17.2 million, England £27 million, Scotland £4.6 million, and Wales £3.8 million.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential economic benefits of increased investment in regional infrastructure projects.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy is core to delivering the government’s mission to boost living standards in every part of the UK, by funding at least £725 billion for infrastructure over the next decade. This is creating and connecting people to good jobs, supporting new housing and neighbourhoods, ensuring people can depend on vital public services and providing resilience in response to a changing world.
On Tuesday 17 March we announced new City Investment Funds which will provide up to £2.3 billion of new grant, loan, and patient capital funding, going directly into hands of mayors of the largest city regions in the North of England and the Midlands to deliver city densification at a local level, and to address viability gaps. City Investment Funds will bring together financing tools for five Mayoral Strategic Authorities in the North including West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The government is also rolling out targeted local growth funding across the UK. Northern Ireland will receive a total of £45.5m per year of local growth funding over the next three years to invest in key growth priorities.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on monitoring fuel prices during volatility in global oil markets.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury officials have discussed with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) the work they are doing to maintain a high level of vigilance for unjustifiable price increases across the economy, including for fuel prices. The Chancellor has written to Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, expressing support for the CMA’s work to ensure customers are not affected by undue price rises, including for road fuel. Letter to the CMA on vigilance for unjustifiable price increases.
The Chancellor and DESNZ’s Secretary of State met with petrol retailers and the CMA on 13th March to discuss where further action can be taken on monitoring fuel prices and supporting the cost of living.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria will be used to determine if a worker has met the six-month waiting period requirement under Article 8(4) of the Convention to prevent the use of back-to-back detachment periods.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
A new certificate of coverage can only be issued under Article 8(4) of the Convention if six months has elapsed from the end date of a worker’s previous detachment, as shown on the worker’s previous certificate. Where the period of validity of the previous certificate is less than six months, a new certificate may be issued once an equivalent period of time has elapsed. For example, if a worker's previous certificate was issued for a period of four months, they will need to wait for four months from the end date of that certificate until they may be issued with another certificate.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered changing the basis for determining Vehicle Excise Duty rates on motorcycles in line with other vehicles; and whether her Department plans to reduce Vehicle Excise Duty on motorcycles.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as date of first registration, engine size, and CO2 emissions. VED for motorcycles is based on engine size.
Zero emission motorcycles now pay the lowest VED rate which applies to the smallest engine size of 150cc or less (currently £26, and increasing to £27 from 1 April 2026 in line with the Retail Price Index).
The government does not currently have any plans to reform the VED system for motorcycles.
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.