Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value of (a) funds, (b) near cash assets and (c) other financial instruments held by (i) the Bank of England and (ii) other UK licensed financial institutions is on behalf of Euroclear Group entities as a result of European Union sanctions on Russia.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) does not comment on individual entities.
Please note OFSI has no role in the implementation of any other country’s sanctions. Therefore, it is unable to comment on EU financial sanctions.
Every year, OFSI undertakes a frozen asset review, which requires all persons holding or controlling assets (including funds and economic resources) frozen as a result of UK financial sanctions to report the nature and values of these assets to OFSI. The 2023 Frozen Asset Review saw approximately £10.2 billion of funds reported to OFSI as frozen under the Russia regime. This figure does not include the value of all assets reported to OFSI as a part of the annual frozen asset review due to difficulties defining their values with accuracy. This may include the contents of safety deposit boxes or tangible assets.
OFSI’s 2023-2024 Annual Review can be found here:
OFSI Annual Review 2023-24: Engage, Enhance, Enforce - GOV.UK
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the scope of the Loan Charge review.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge. Ray McCann, a highly respected figure in the tax world, is leading the review. His name was suggested by one of the Loan Charge campaigners.
To ensure transparency, the terms of reference make it clear that Mr McCann will be supported by a team of officials who have not previously worked on this policy area and will be based outside of HM Treasury and HMRC. Information provided by HMT and HMRC to the review team and factual comments provided on draft reports will be published after the review has concluded.
The Government does not think it is right for people affected by the Loan Charge to have to wait years to bring this matter to a close and has therefore ensured that the review has a focused remit, allowing it to report by this summer. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.
Alongside the review, the Government is consulting in 2025 on measures to tackle promoters of marketed tax avoidance and has already announced measures to tackle the significant tax avoidance and fraud in the umbrella company market.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to section five of the policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of seeking regulator pledges from the Advertising Standards Authority.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
As published in March, New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth set out reforms across the regulatory landscape. These focused on tackling complexity and the burden of regulation, reducing uncertainty, and shifting excessive risk aversion in the regulatory system. Many of these reforms pertain to all UK regulators.
This action plan also included specific, pro-growth commitments from a range of key regulators which operate across the economy and also support sectors in the Industrial Strategy. We will continue to work with all regulators to promote investment, accelerate innovation, and deliver better outcomes.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority will retain independent commissioners.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will combine the functions of the National Infrastructure Commission and Infrastructure and Projects Authority. NISTA will bring oversight of strategy and delivery into one organisation, driving more effective delivery of infrastructure across the country.
On 17 January 2025, the Prime Minister announced in a Written Ministerial Statement that NISTA will be a joint unit of HM Treasury and Cabinet Office, effective from 1 April 2025. Further detail on the work and governance of NISTA will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full time equivalent staff have been re-employed on HMRC’s customer telephone service in each year since 2015.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.
Reporting year | Number of complaints relating to telephony services | Number of telephony complaints as a proportion of all complaints received (%) |
2015-16 | Not held | Not held |
2016-17 | Not held | Not held |
2017-18 | Not held | Not held |
2018-19 | 1,244 | 1.74% |
2019-20 | 1,340 | 2.04% |
2020-21 | 2,137 | 2.72% |
2021-22 | 2,032 | 2.53% |
2022-23 | 2,634 | 2.89% |
2023-24 | 8,037 | 8.72% |
In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.
HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.
In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025
HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.
HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.
HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024
The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of customers have made a complaint about the customer telephone service in each year since 2015.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.
Reporting year | Number of complaints relating to telephony services | Number of telephony complaints as a proportion of all complaints received (%) |
2015-16 | Not held | Not held |
2016-17 | Not held | Not held |
2017-18 | Not held | Not held |
2018-19 | 1,244 | 1.74% |
2019-20 | 1,340 | 2.04% |
2020-21 | 2,137 | 2.72% |
2021-22 | 2,032 | 2.53% |
2022-23 | 2,634 | 2.89% |
2023-24 | 8,037 | 8.72% |
In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.
HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.
In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025
HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.
HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.
HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024
The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times has HMRC disconnected a customer who has waited for longer than 70 minutes to speak to an advisor on their customer telephone service in each year since 2015.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.
Reporting year | Number of complaints relating to telephony services | Number of telephony complaints as a proportion of all complaints received (%) |
2015-16 | Not held | Not held |
2016-17 | Not held | Not held |
2017-18 | Not held | Not held |
2018-19 | 1,244 | 1.74% |
2019-20 | 1,340 | 2.04% |
2020-21 | 2,137 | 2.72% |
2021-22 | 2,032 | 2.53% |
2022-23 | 2,634 | 2.89% |
2023-24 | 8,037 | 8.72% |
In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.
HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.
In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025
HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.
HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.
HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024
The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what HMRC's budget has been for a customer telephone service in each year since 2015.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.
Reporting year | Number of complaints relating to telephony services | Number of telephony complaints as a proportion of all complaints received (%) |
2015-16 | Not held | Not held |
2016-17 | Not held | Not held |
2017-18 | Not held | Not held |
2018-19 | 1,244 | 1.74% |
2019-20 | 1,340 | 2.04% |
2020-21 | 2,137 | 2.72% |
2021-22 | 2,032 | 2.53% |
2022-23 | 2,634 | 2.89% |
2023-24 | 8,037 | 8.72% |
In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.
HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.
In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025
HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.
HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.
HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024
The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time to answer a customer telephone call was in each year since 2015.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.
Reporting year | Number of complaints relating to telephony services | Number of telephony complaints as a proportion of all complaints received (%) |
2015-16 | Not held | Not held |
2016-17 | Not held | Not held |
2017-18 | Not held | Not held |
2018-19 | 1,244 | 1.74% |
2019-20 | 1,340 | 2.04% |
2020-21 | 2,137 | 2.72% |
2021-22 | 2,032 | 2.53% |
2022-23 | 2,634 | 2.89% |
2023-24 | 8,037 | 8.72% |
In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.
HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.
In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025
HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.
HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.
HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024
The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the her Department's consultation entitled Transforming business rates, published 30 October 2024, whether she plans to meet with (a) British Business Improvement Districts, (b) The BID Foundation and (c) the Association of Town Centre Management as part of the engagement process.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget, the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform of the business rates system. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century.
Treasury officials are engaging with stakeholders who registered interest by the 15 November deadline, and the Government is open to receiving further written evidence to transformingbusinessrates@hmtreasury.gov.uk until the end of March 2025.