Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 6 January 2026, to Question HL13202, on Public Houses: Business Rates, what the equivalent figures are to the 4% increase in average pubs’ business rates bills, in years (a) 2027-28 and (b) 2028-29.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
From April, every pub and live music venue will get 15% off its new business rates bill on top of the support announced at Budget and then bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years.
Three-quarters of pubs will see bills flat or falling in April. The new relief is worth £1,650 for the average pub next year. As a sector pubs will pay 8% less in business rates in 2029 than they do right now.
The Government will also launch a review which will explore how pubs are valued for business rates.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026, to Question 103885, on Council tax: garden, what methodology is used when a garden is valued by the Valuation Office Agency as part of determining the value of the whole dwelling; and whether the size of the garden is material.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office Agency values properties, including their gardens, in line with legislation.
Asked by: Baroness Caine of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much they collected through the Apprenticeship Levy in financial years (1) 2024-25, and (2) 2025-26; and how much in each of those years was subsequently allocated towards investment in apprenticeship delivery.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Apprenticeship receipts in 2024-25 were £4,100 million. Full year figures for 2025-26 will not be available until the end of the 2025-26 tax year.
The apprenticeship budget funds all apprenticeship training in England, covering both existing and new apprenticeships, across all employers. The English apprenticeship budget in the 2024-25 financial year was £2,769 million. This increased to £3,075 million in the 2025-26 financial year at mains estimates, any further updates will be reflected at supplementary estimates. As announced by the Prime Minister in September, responsibility for apprenticeships has now transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions, and from 2026‑27 apprenticeships funding will be part of its budget.
While the Apprenticeship Levy is UK-wide, apprenticeship policy and spending are devolved. This means the devolved governments receive Barnett consequentials on apprenticeship spending in England through the Barnett formula. It is for the devolved governments to allocate their funding in devolved areas as they see fit, including investment in their own skills programmes, and they are accountable to their respective legislatures for those decisions.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of how many and the proportion of pubs hereditaments assigned Valuation Office Agency Special Category Code 226 which were eligible for the 40 per cent Retail, Hospitality and Leisure rate relief in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
MHCLG publish data on the number of properties benefitting from RHL relief. You can find the information here: National non-domestic rates collected by councils in England: forecast 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK
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 tax, including a) Vehicle Excise Duty, b) VAT on vehicle purchases and c) fuel duty on motorists.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Revenue from motoring taxes helps to fund vital public services and infrastructure, including investment in roads and transport. 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, including considering the impact on households and businesses. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
At Budget 2025, the Government made a number of announcements relating to motoring tax. This included announcing continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut until the end of August 2026. Rates will then gradually return to early 2022 levels. The planned increase in line with inflation for 2026-27 will not take place, with the Government uprating fuel duty rates by RPI from April 2027. This will save the average car driver £49 next year compared to previous plans.
The Government also announced the introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028, a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, recognising that EVs contribute to congestion and wear and tear on the roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty.
The Government is taking a proportionate approach to ensuring electric car drivers pay an appropriate share whilst remaining firmly committed to supporting the transition to EVs. That is why the rate will be set at 50% of the equivalent fuel duty cost for petrol and diesel cars, and 80% of eVED revenue from the first three years is being reinvested to extend support for EVs and the auto manufacturing industry. This builds on existing generous support, including Company Car Tax incentives.
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 Vehicle Excise Duty rates on the uptake of electric vehicles.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Revenue from motoring taxes helps to fund vital public services and infrastructure, including investment in roads and transport. 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, including considering the impact on households and businesses. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
At Budget 2025, the Government made a number of announcements relating to motoring tax. This included announcing continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut until the end of August 2026. Rates will then gradually return to early 2022 levels. The planned increase in line with inflation for 2026-27 will not take place, with the Government uprating fuel duty rates by RPI from April 2027. This will save the average car driver £49 next year compared to previous plans.
The Government also announced the introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028, a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, recognising that EVs contribute to congestion and wear and tear on the roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty.
The Government is taking a proportionate approach to ensuring electric car drivers pay an appropriate share whilst remaining firmly committed to supporting the transition to EVs. That is why the rate will be set at 50% of the equivalent fuel duty cost for petrol and diesel cars, and 80% of eVED revenue from the first three years is being reinvested to extend support for EVs and the auto manufacturing industry. This builds on existing generous support, including Company Car Tax incentives.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria were applied in the Spending Review for assessing proposed rail infrastructure projects.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Rail infrastructure projects are carefully considered to assess their value for money. This includes consideration of strategic, economic, social and environmental factors, the local context and regional distribution of projects, as well as affordability and the government’s wider fiscal position.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data (a) her department and (b) NISTA holds on the number of central government PFI contracts which necessitate the underlying asset remaining in the ownership of the PFI contractor at the end of the contract.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury, which includes NISTA, publishes aggregate information on PFI and PF2 projects annually.
In line with guidance, any arrangements which necessitate the underlying asset remaining in the ownership of the PFI contractor at the end of the contract would be the exception. Information on such cases is not collated centrally by HM Treasury.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2026 to Question 102744 on Educational Institutions: Council tax, how many retail, hospital an leisure hereditaments have a rateable value above £500,000 broken down by Special Category Code for which the latest data is available.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
This information was included in the Change in rateable value of rating lists, 2026 Revaluation publication:
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the National Wealth Fund operates a salary sacrifice scheme for its Defined Contribution staff pension offering.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Wealth Fund does not operate a salary sacrifice scheme in respect of its Defined Contribution staff pension offering. Details of the National Wealth Fund’s pension offering are set out in the Remuneration Report within its Annual Report and Accounts, which can be accessed here: https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/media/wpxnswqx/e03371942_nwf-ara-24-25_accessible_2.pdf