Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of (i) the economic impact and (ii) potential cost savings for the pubs sector of introducing a 20p reduction in the business rates multiplier for all pubs.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In April 2026, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible properties, including pubs, benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Breweries that are wholly or mainly open to visiting members of the public (for instance, mainly used as a bar or for providing tours to the public) will also benefit from the lower multipliers.
The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes, as well as the broader economic and fiscal context, into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, the Government prevented RHL business rates relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. Under the previous Government, RHL relief was due to end entirely in April 2025, and so by extending it, the Government has saved the average pub, with a ratable value of £16,800, over £3,300.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Table 4.1 entitled Budget 2025 policy decisions in the Budget Red Book, line item 43, Investing in Communities: Provide funding to refurbish and improve up to 200 playgrounds in England, which Department will disburse these funds.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced £18 million for up to 200 children’s playgrounds in England. This funding will breathe new life into play areas, creating safe, exciting spaces for thousands of children.
The government will provide more detail on the approach to allocating and delivery of this funding shortly.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Table 4.1 entitled Budget 2025 policy decisions in the Budget Red Book, line item 43, Investing in Communities: Provide funding to refurbish and improve up to 200 playgrounds in England, whether (a) local authorities, (b) town and parish councils, (c) schools and school trusts, (d) community groups and (e) charities will be able to bid for funding in this programme.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced £18 million for up to 200 children’s playgrounds in England. This funding will breathe new life into play areas, creating safe, exciting spaces for thousands of children.
The government will provide more detail on the approach to allocating and delivery of this funding shortly.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Table 4.1 entitled Budget 2025 policy decisions’ in the Budget Red Book, line item 43, Investing in Communities: Provide funding to refurbish and improve up to 200 playgrounds in England, how projects will apply and qualify for funding in this programme.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced £18 million for up to 200 children’s playgrounds in England. This funding will breathe new life into play areas, creating safe, exciting spaces for thousands of children.
The government will provide more detail on the approach to allocating and delivery of this funding shortly.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that victims of high value Authorised Push Payment fraud are adequately protected under the mandatory reimbursement scheme.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this appalling crime. To protect consumers, under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has introduced a mandatory reimbursement regime for Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams taking place over the Faster Payment system. This came into force on 7 October 2024.
The PSR’s rules require in scope Payment Service Providers (PSP’s) to reimburse victims of APP scams which take place over the Faster Payments System up to the value of £85,000, with responsibility split equally between the sending and receiving firms. The PSR has stated that it expects the £85,000 limit will cover 99% of claims. APP scams which take place over the CHAPS payment system are also in scope of reimbursement.
The PSR operates independently of the Government and has statutory responsibility for payment systems regulation. The PSR monitors compliance closely and has powers to take action where firms fall short of their obligations.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of merging the Valuation Office Agency and HMRC when dealing with businesses, in the context of changes to Agricultural Property Relief.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
On 28 April 2025, the government announced that the Valuation Office Agency’s functions will be brought into HMRC by the end of this financial year. This will combine the expertise and experience of both organisations in policy, valuations and programme delivery to support the government to deliver change more effectively. The move will improve the experience for taxpayers and businesses.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17780 on Employers' Contributions, if she will make an estimate of the (a) median and (b) mean average number of people employed by the employers that she expects will pay (i) the same and (ii) less in employer National Insurance contributions.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.Around 250,000 employers will see their Secondary Class 1 NICs liability decrease and around 820,000 employers will see no change.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral contribution by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury on 3 December 2024, Official Report, column 200, what estimate she has made of the (a) median and (b) mean average number of people employed by the subset of employers she expects will pay (i) the same and (ii) less in employer National Insurance contributions under her planned changes.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.Around 250,000 employers will see their Secondary Class 1 NICs liability decrease and around 820,000 employers will see no change.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the proportion of employers who will pay (a) the same and (b) less in employer National Insurance Contributions from April 2025.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.Around 250,000 employers will see their Secondary Class 1 NICs liability decrease and around 820,000 employers will see no change.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases to employer National Insurance contributions at the Autumn Budget 2024 on (a) employment levels and (b) wages for (i) lower-paid and (ii) higher-paid workers.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Office for Budget Responsibility’s October 2024 Economic and Fiscal Outlook expects that the Employer National Insurance Contributions package will lead to a reduction in the participation rate of 0.1 per cent from 2025-26 onwards. Overall, once the impact of all budget measures are taken into consideration, the OBR expect the employment level to increase from 33.1 million in 2024 to 34.3 million in 2029.
Employers have a choice about how they respond to the NICs increase. The Government recognises that employers may respond by increasing employees’ wages more slowly than they would have otherwise, alongside absorbing pressures through prices, efficiencies or lower profits.
The Government is protecting the lowest paid by increasing the National Living Wage. This limits the ability of employers to pass on increases in costs to those on lower pay. The Government has also introduced important protections for workers as part of the Plan to Make Work Pay.