Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that regulatory frameworks support greater access to low-cost retail investment products.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide, which will also benefit UK capital markets and the wider economy. That is why the Chancellor has set out a series of bold measures to get Britain investing again, including the reforms to ISAs announced at Autumn Budget.
The Government and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are working closely with the industry-led initiatives to promote the benefits of investing to the public, and to reform how firms talk about the risks and benefits of investing.
In addition, HM Treasury has worked closely with the FCA on the introduction of targeted support, which went live on 6 April. This allows authorised firms, with the relevant permission, to provide customers with proactive help on investment decisions, including suggesting specific products – helping people to act on information and make choices that are right for their circumstances.
In the longer term, HM Treasury is working closely with the Department for Education to strengthen financial education. As part of the Financial Inclusion Strategy, published in November 2025, the Government announced that financial education will be made compulsory in primary schools in England, alongside a renewed focus on financial education in secondary schools.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the past 12 months.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
AI is not used by the department to draft legislation.
Officials use AI tools in combination with a range of evidence, collaboration, challenge and technology to deliver policy drafts. They use their judgement and a variety of data sources to apply a critical lens to their advice and analysis to ensure high quality.
Officials use HMT-GPT, the department’s internal AI tool, and Copilot, which are both secure and quality assured for civil service use. Guidance and training for responsible AI usage is provided to staff, making it clear that tools are designed to assist with work, not to replace colleagues in decision making processes.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) fuel duty and (b) other tax treatment is applicable to hydrotreated vegetable oil used in (i) road fuel and (ii) home heating fuel.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is taxed in line with other fuels according to its use.
For fuel duty purposes, HVO is treated as a diesel-equivalent “heavy oil” in the Hydrocarbon Oils Duty Act 1979. When used as a road fuel, it is therefore liable to the standard rate of fuel duty applicable to diesel which is 52.95p per litre. When used for domestic heating, HVO benefits from the rebated duty rate of 10.18p per litre.
For VAT, HVO is subject to the standard rate when used as a road fuel. When supplied for domestic heating, it is eligible for the reduced rate of VAT, subject to the same conditions that apply to other heating fuels, including applicable quantity thresholds.
The Government currently encourages the use of HVO through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which incentivises the use of low carbon fuels and reduces emissions from fuel supplied for use in transport and non-road mobile machinery. The RTFO has been very successful in supporting a market for renewable fuel since its introduction in 2008. Renewable fuels supplied under the RTFO currently contribute a third of the savings required for the UK’s transport carbon budget.
Asked by: Mel Stride (Conservative - Central Devon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Written Statement of 16 April 2026 on Carbon Price Support, HCWS1519, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to tax revenues of abolishing Carbon Price Support in each financial year for which estimates are available; and what steps her Department is taking to fund this policy change.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As the grid continues to decarbonise, the Carbon Price Support (CPS) tax base will become smaller and CPS revenue is forecast to significantly decline.
Final costings will be confirmed at a fiscal event in the usual way. The Chancellor will set out details on how this, and any other decisions, are funded such that the fiscal rules are met at the Budget in the usual way.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the High Income Child Benefit Charge on individual income.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The High Income Child Benefit Charge is currently the best way to manage Child Benefit expenditure. By withdrawing Child Benefit from high-income families, it helps to ensure the sustainability of the public finances and protect our vital public services. As with all tax policy, the government will keep this under review.
Asked by: Mel Stride (Conservative - Central Devon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were tax receipts from Carbon Price Support in each of the last five financial years for which data is available.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Carbon Price Support (CPS) tax receipts can be found in the Environmental Taxes Bulletin: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/environmental-taxes-bulletin.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to take account of the impact of SUVs on (a) road maintenance, (b) pedestrian safety, and (c) public space in vehicle taxation.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicles used or kept on public roads pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Cars registered on or after 1 April 2017 pay a variable first year VED rate according to the emissions of the vehicle, before moving to a standard annual rate after the first year.
For certain vehicle classifications, such as heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), VED liability is calculated in accordance with the vehicle's weight in order to reflect in part the road damage caused by heavier vehicles. However, this is not the case for cars, due in part to their relatively lower impact on road damage compared to heavier vehicles.
When making changes to the tax system, the Government considers a range of trade-offs, such as complexity in the tax system and administrative burdens.
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.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to respond to Question 126382 from the Hon. Member for Windsor.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The answers to PQs UIN126382, UIN 126383 & UIN 126384 have been answered on 16 April 2026. This was within the Parliamentary deadline.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to respond to Question 126383 from the Hon. Member for Windsor.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The answers to PQs UIN126382, UIN 126383 & UIN 126384 have been answered on 16 April 2026. This was within the Parliamentary deadline.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to respond to Question 126384 from the Hon. Member for Windsor.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The answers to PQs UIN126382, UIN 126383 & UIN 126384 have been answered on 16 April 2026. This was within the Parliamentary deadline.