Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that national economic policy does not disproportionately impact the Oxford‑Cambridge growth corridor over regions with industrial, technology and energy capacity such as the North East.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government’s economic strategy aims to spread growth across Britain, supporting all regions by investing in transport, housing, skills, and key industrial sectors. The Chancellor has repeatedly emphasised that regional growth, including in the North and North East, is central to her plans, highlighted by ongoing work on the Northern Growth Strategy. These measures are part of a place-based approach to boost the UK’s productive capacity and living standards, ensuring national policy promotes growth in every region rather than focusing on a single area.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the methodology and the formula used in the current rateable value calculation.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office calculates a rateable value for each business property in England and Wales. A rateable value is an estimate of what it would cost to rent a property for a year, on a set date known as the Valuation Date.
The methodology and approach used to assess rateable values varies depending on the type of property. The Valuation Office publishes a Rating Manual describing how each property class is valued. The manual for the 2023 rating list can be found here, and will be updated for the 2026 list in due course.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the (a) British Independent Retailers Association and (b) Independent Menswear Trade Organisation on the potential impact of changes to business rate bills on small independent retailers.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government’s Call for Evidence on business rates and investment has sought views from industry representatives, to establish more detailed evidence on how the business rates system influences investment decisions, with questions on the business rates system’s tax structure, Small Business Rates Relief, Improvement Relief and Empty Property Relief.
The Government is carefully considering the representations received – including those from BIRA and other retailers - and a summary of responses will be published in due course. HM Treasury also continues to have regular discussions with sector representatives to understand the impact of business rates on the sector’s financial sustainability.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Valuation Office Agency delays on people in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the Member to the answer given to Question UIN 126456 on 20 April 2026.
Asked by: Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the National Wealth Fund (a) conducted due diligence on alternative pipeline route and junction location options and (b) commissioned an independent engineering assessment of alternative junction locations for the meeting point of pipeline Sections 3 and 4 before investing in Peak Cluster Limited.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is operationally independent in regard to its investment decisions. The NWF undertakes extensive due diligence in line with commercial investor assessment standards, processes and quantification methodologies, to ensure that taxpayer funds are deployed safely, represent value for money, and support technically and commercially viable projects.
As part of this process, the NWF considers all relevant design, technical and delivery risks associated with proposed projects. Details of individual assessments, including any consideration of specific design or routing options, remain commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the operation of the merged R&D tax relief scheme in relation to companies providing pre-clinical research services.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important role that life sciences research and development (R&D) plays in driving innovation and economic growth as well as the benefits it can bring for society. The Government committed to maintaining the generosity of the rates in both the merged R&D Expenditure Credit (RDEC) scheme and the Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS). This, combined with the commitment to cap the headline rate of Corporation Tax, means that companies doing qualifying R&D – including pre-clinical R&D – will continue to receive between £15 to £27 for every £100 spent on R&D.
Under the merged R&D scheme, relief is generally available to the company that decides to undertake R&D and bears the financial risk, rather than the company contracted to carry it out, subject to limited exceptions. This approach is intended to ensure support is targeted at the company that invests in the R&D. These rules apply to pre-clinical research services in the same way as they do for all other companies.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HMRC will publish full staffing projections for Managed Service Provider and HMRC customer services staff.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC is currently in an initial proof‑of‑value phase for its use of MSPs, which is helping to inform longer‑term workforce planning. At this stage, HMRC has no plans to publish full staffing projections for either MSPs or HMRC customer services staff.
Decisions about future staffing levels will be based on what is learned from the proof‑of‑value phase and will be taken through HMRC’s normal business planning and Spending Review processes.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 26 October 2009 (HC col 140W), on housing valuation, how many and what proportion of dwellings in (1) Wales, and (2) England, are now recorded on the Valuation Office Agency's database with (a) dwellinghouse, and (b) value significant code, data.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
As of 14 April 2026 there are 25,950,670 dwellings on the Council Tax list in England. Of these, 25,781,260 (99.3%) have a dwelling group, and 25,784,950 (99.4%) have a dwelling type, and 6,755,400 (26.0%) have at least one value significant code.
In Wales, there are 1,494,410 dwellings on the Council Tax list. Of these, 1,494,180 (>99.9%) have a dwelling group, and 1,494,060 (>99.9%) have a dwelling type. 403,610 (27.0%) have at least one value significant code.
Asked by: Lord Walker of Broxton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect vulnerable people from turning to illegal moneylenders.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the serious harm that illegal money lenders can cause, particularly to vulnerable people. To help prevent people from turning to illegal money lenders, the Government funds specialist Illegal Money Lending Teams (IMLTs). These teams combine enforcement action against illegal lenders with prevention and victim support, including awareness-raising in communities, working with local partners to identify those at risk, and encouraging the safe reporting of illegal lenders. More information about the work of the IMLTs is available on the Stop Loan Sharks website.[1] The Government is also taking steps to ensure appropriate access to regulated credit through the Financial Inclusion Strategy.
[1] https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to consolidating the anti-money laundering supervisory responsibilities of professional body supervisors under a statutory regulator, such as the Financial Conduct Authority.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor announced in October that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will become the Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) supervisor for professional services firms, simplifying the current complex model. The FCA are currently working on the implementation of this new supervisory framework and HM Treasury will announce next steps shortly.