Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the annual cost to the public purse of the Office for Value for Money.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Office for Value for Money's (OVfM) has successfully delivered on its remit, including working with departments to identify credible plans to deliver almost £14 billion of efficiencies per year by 2028-29 as well as wider reforms to improve value for money across government. Its functions will be embedded within the Treasury, leaving a legacy of value for money improvements across the public sector.
The OVfM's budget and total spend for 2024-25 is set out in HM Treasury’s 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts (ARA). The OVfM's outturn cost for 2025-26 will be published in HM Treasury's 2025-26 ARA.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the press release by the Mineral Products Association entitled Landfill Tax reforms could trigger shortages and damage growth ambitions, published on 28 July 2025.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support the Government’s circular economy objectives. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders on the impact of the proposals, including from representatives of the mineral products sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value is of Government funding to the National Wealth Fund that is unspent.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As of 14 October 2025, the National Wealth Fund has committed £7.5 billion to projects supporting the Government’s growth and clean energy missions, mobilising £16.2 billion in private finance. This is just over 25% of NWF’s £27.8 billion capitalisation.
The National Wealth Fund expects to commit the vast majority of its £27.8 billion financial capacity over the next five years.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department's definition of a millionaire includes (a) assets, (b) the outstanding value of pension pots and (c) income levels in the context of (i) winter fuel payments and (ii) other policies.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Winter Fuel Payment will be paid to those with total incomes below or equal to £35,000. This means those on lower and middle incomes will still receive the help they need and ensures fairness for both pensioners and taxpayers.
The standard definition of total taxable income applies. This includes any savings interest outside an ISA, even if the savings are under the Personal Savings Allowance
Other benefits have their own means tests, which take differing personal and financial circumstances into account to ensure support is appropriately targeted.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department undertakes checks on whether holders of work visas are paying (a) Income Tax and (b) National Insurance.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC have interpreted ‘checks’ in this instance as ‘compliance checks’ on taxpayers with tax and National Insurance owed in the UK.
HMRC takes a risk-based approach to compliance and focuses its resources where tax is most at risk of not being paid. This approach may result in compliance checks on holders of work visas.
Decisions on which taxpayers should be subject to a compliance check are based on HMRC’s understanding of compliance risk in the tax system, which is supported by data and intelligence sources including banking data and credit card sales, business databases, international exchanges of information and reported wrongdoing, as well as assessments of the tax gap, economic and social trends, operational insight and risk monitoring.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Government’s house building programme on the value of assets in the Public Sector Net Financial Liabilities.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Net Financial Debt, otherwise known as Public Sector Net Financial Liabilities, recognises the value of financial assets that are expected to make a future return, such as loans.
Houses are non-financial assets and so their value is not captured in this fiscal metric.
Through the Spending Review, the government provided the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of public sector headcount on the financial sustainability of public sector pension schemes.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government’s central measure of the affordability of public service pensions is long-term public service pension spending as a share of GDP.
Public sector headcount is considered in several ways within this measure, using the OBR’s long-term assumptions on the size of the public sector workforce.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the amount of (a) Income Tax and (b) National Insurance contributions paid by holders of dependent visas in the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data on the immigration status of taxpayers.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the (a) number and (b) proportion of dependent visa holders who are paying (i) Income Tax and (ii) National Insurance.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold data on the immigration status of taxpayers.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department checks that National Insurance numbers associated with visa-holders cease being associated with tax payments at the expiry of work visas.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The National Insurance (NI) number is a reference number for the administration of National Insurance and social security, and is used more widely in tax administration. The NI number does not expire or cease being associated with an individual if their visa expires.