Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the four year limit for reclaiming rental income taxon minors who will inherit discretionary trusts.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The general time limit for making any Income Tax claim or overpayment refund is four years from the end of the relevant tax year. For repayment claims by beneficiaries of discretionary trusts, the claim must be made within four years of the end of the tax year in which they receive a relevant income distribution, rather than when the income arose to the trustees.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the High Income Child Benefit Charge on households in which one partner experiences a temporary reduction or loss of earnings as a result of serious illness.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The High Income Child Benefit Charge is currently the best way to manage Child Benefit expenditure, helping to ensure the sustainability of the public finances. The Government recognises concerns raised about the impact it can have on single-earner households in certain circumstances.
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the High Income Child Benefit Charge on single-earner households where total household income is lower than that of two-earner households not liable for the charge.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The High Income Child Benefit Charge is currently the best way to manage Child Benefit expenditure, helping to ensure the sustainability of the public finances. The Government recognises concerns raised about the impact it can have on single-earner households in certain circumstances.
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how his Department's priorities are aligned with the National Security Strategy 2025.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
The Government's approach to national security is set out in the 2025 National Security Strategy. The Strategy set out that the shift to 5% of GDP on national security requires us to align our national security objectives and plans for economic growth, and that economic security is national security.
Following the publication of the Strategy the Government agreed an implementation framework to monitor progress over the course of this Parliament across all involved departments, including the Treasury. The framework is classified. Departmental delivery is overseen by the National Security Council.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on the international competitiveness of the UK refining sector.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is an environmental measure, designed to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and ensure that these carbon-intensive imports face a carbon cost that is comparable to that faced by equivalent goods produced in the UK.
The Government recognises the important role of the UK refining sector in supporting energy security and the UK’s industrial base. As confirmed at Budget 2025, the Government is considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products within the scope of CBAM in the future.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) extending Theatre Tax Relief to include the costs of moving productions between UK venues, (b) reducing the qualifying thresholds for touring opera and ballet productions and (c) extending business rates relief to theatres, in supporting the financial sustainability of touring productions and improving access to live theatre in towns and smaller communities.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of introducing a separate business rates multiplier for large distribution warehouses on (a) retail supply chain costs and (b) consumer prices.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his department plans to introduce a warehouse tax at the next budget.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Help to Save accounts are held by people resident in (a) Bedfordshire, (b) Milton Keynes.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC publishes Help to Save figures as part of their annual savings statistics publication, including a breakdown of Help to Save accounts by region. The latest figures are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2026.
Bedfordshire is in the East of England region, where 58,150 Help to Save accounts had been opened as of April 2026.
Milton Keynes is in the South East of England region, where 79,500 Help to Save accounts had been opened as of April 2026.
Following a consultation on its published statistics, HMRC removed Help to Save tables for Parliamentary Constituencies and Local Authorities for the 2023 publication onwards. The final version of these tables with a lower level geographical breakdown can be found in the 2022 Annual Savings Statistics publication, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2022
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Independent - Tewkesbury)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help ensure affordable insurance premiums for owners of thatched homes.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Insurers make commercial decisions about the terms and price on which they offer cover based on their assessment of the relevant risks. The Government does not generally intervene in these commercial decisions.
The Government is determined that insurers should treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The FCA requires firms to ensure their products offer fair value and has a statutory objective to promote effective competition in the interests of consumers. The FCA has robust powers to take action where firms do not comply with its rules.
The Government recommends that consumers shop around to find the most suitable cover at the best price. For consumers seeking insurance for specialist risks, such as thatched properties, the British Insurance Brokers’ Association may be able to help identify insurers and brokers with relevant expertise.