Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the harmonisation of gambling duty rates on levels of promotion of more addictive forms of online gaming.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Autumn Budget 2025.
If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, they will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposals in her Department’s consultation on the harmonisation of gambling duty rate on the horseracing industry.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Autumn Budget 2025.
If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, they will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential (a) merits of reducing taxes on developers of brownfield sites and (b) impact of doing so on the regeneration of town centres.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government has announced reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework that will deliver key steps to get Britain building, and the reforms introduced through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will streamline the delivery of new housing and regeneration projects.
The government has also committed to deliver 1.5 million new homes as part of our mission to achieve economic growth across the country. At Autumn Budget, the government announced over £5 billion total housing investment in 2025-2026 to boost supply.
Tax stability is important for investment in regeneration, and the government has committed through the Corporate Tax Roadmap to provide the stability needed for businesses to make investments that are critical to boosting growth in the UK.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing taxes on the developers of brownfield sites on the development of new homes in town centres.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government has announced reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework that will deliver key steps to get Britain building, and the reforms introduced through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will streamline the delivery of new housing and regeneration projects.
The government has also committed to deliver 1.5 million new homes as part of our mission to achieve economic growth across the country. At Autumn Budget, the government announced over £5 billion total housing investment in 2025-2026 to boost supply.
Tax stability is important for investment in regeneration, and the government has committed through the Corporate Tax Roadmap to provide the stability needed for businesses to make investments that are critical to boosting growth in the UK.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential cumulative impact of her Department's (a) economic forecasting and (b) fiscal rules on economic policy.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Treasury does not produce economic forecasts. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the Government’s independent official economic and fiscal forecaster. The Government uses the forecasts and analysis it produces to inform policy decisions. The OBR will publish its next Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 26 March alongside The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Statement.
The fiscal rules demonstrate the Government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and help underpin economic stability. The stability and investment rules put the public finances on a sustainable path and prioritise investment to support long term growth.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a lower rate of VAT for the hospitality sector.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
To support hospitality businesses, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with Rateable Values below £500,000, from 2026-27.
Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL 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, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.
VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £171 billion in 2024/25. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of establishing a customs union with the EU on retail prices of consumer goods.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
No. The Government is working with the EU to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, such as the economy, energy, security and resilience. But we have been clear that there will be no return to the customs union.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of establishing a customs union with the EU on the cyber security sector in Cheltenham.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
No. The Government is working with the EU to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, such as the economy, energy, security and resilience. But we have been clear that there will be no return to the customs union.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of establishing a customs union with the EU on town centre businesses in Cheltenham.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
No. The Government is working with the EU to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, such as the economy, energy, security and resilience. But we have been clear that there will be no return to the customs union.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of IR35 regulations for UK businesses working together in foreign markets.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The off-payroll working reforms have proved effective in reducing non-compliance. As well as preventing tax non-compliance, keeping the reforms in place also protects around £1.5 billion a year of government revenue, which supports strong public finances and helps fund our vital public services.