Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of inflation on (a) businesses, (b) farmers and (c) consumers in Epping Forest constituency.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office for National Statistics does not publish inflation statistics at the level of individual constituencies such as Epping Forest. However, the Government understands that inflation remains a challenge for businesses, including farmers, and consumers. This is why the Chancellor has asked departments to prioritise reducing inflation when developing policies for the Autumn Budget, ensuring decisions support stability and long-term growth.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her economic policies on inflation for food and drink.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury does not produce forecasts for the UK economy. Forecasting the economy, including the impact of Government policy decisions, is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which published its latest forecast on 26 March 2025. The OBR does not publish estimates of the impact of policy decisions on levels of food and drink inflation. The Chancellor has asked departments to prioritise reducing inflation when developing policies for the Autumn Budget, ensuring decisions support stability and long-term growth.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential impact of measures in the Autumn Budget 2025 on the farming sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer holds regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a range of issues.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the funding allocated to rebuild the APHA site in Weybridge is part of the Government's commitment to spend 5% of GDP on national security by 2035.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It will include investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.
Our National Security Strategy confirms our belief that these types of investment are vital to national security and we are pleased that this is now recognised by NATO. As set out in the Spending Review 2025, this government is making significant investment into these areas and we are confident we will meet the 1.5% target on defence and security related spending.
Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the National Insurance measures in the Autumn Budget 2024 on businesses in (a) Epping Forest and (b) England.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.
Estimates of the impact on businesses in Epping Forest from changes to Employer NICs announced at Autumn Budget 2024 are not available.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the level of Government funding to (a) hospices and (b) the palliative care sector.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The Chancellor and I work closely with the Health Secretary on issues related to health and social care funding.
The Government announced in December 2024 that we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, as well as £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices. This will help to ensure that hospices in England can continue to deliver the highest quality end of life care possible for their patients, families, and loved ones.
In England, integrated care boards are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on small businesses in Epping Forest constituency.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Estimates of the impact on businesses in Epping Forest from changes to Employer NICs announced at Autumn Budget 2024 are not available.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of pupils moving from independent to state schools as a result of the planned introduction of VAT on independent schools.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential public services, including investing in the state education system
This VAT change will not impact pupils with most acute additional needs where these can only be met in private schools, as determined by an Education and Health Care Plan in England, and equivalent processes in other nations.
Where pupils are placed in a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, and they have their places funded by their Local Authority, the Local Authority will be able to reclaim the VAT they incur on these pupils’ fees. In Northern Ireland, it will be the Education Authority who fund placements in private schools and will be able to reclaim the VAT in this way.
The government will publish a Tax Information and Impact Note setting out the impacts of the changes, including the equalities impacts, alongside the Finance Bill.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support agricultural businesses to access finance from banks.
Answered by Bim Afolami
The Government recognises the vital role of agricultural businesses across the UK, and it is important they can access the finance they need.
The government’s Growth Guarantee Scheme supports smaller businesses, including agricultural businesses, to access the finance they need to invest and grow. The scheme extends the support previously offered under the Recovery Loan Scheme and provides a 70% government guarantee on lending to UK small and medium-sized enterprises. The scheme supports a wide range of products provided by different lenders such as loan terms, overdrafts, asset finance, invoice finance and asset-based lending.
The government has also supported farmers to adapt to the agricultural transition by providing them with free business advice. Advisers offered one to one consultations, farm visits and free workshops that helped support farming businesses to improve their financial viability, which will have made it easier for them to access finance.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to help preserve access to banking on high streets.
Answered by Bim Afolami
It is important that all customers have appropriate access to banking and cash services and the Government is monitoring this situation closely.
Guidance from the FCA expects firms to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, and put in place alternatives, where reasonable. Alternative options to access everyday banking services on the high street include via the Post Office or Banking Hubs. Banking Hubs are an industry initiative to enable customers of participating banks to access cash and banking services in shared facilities.
UK Finance confirmed 225 Banking Hubs will be announced by the end of 2024. Furthermore, following my recent discussions with the UK high street banks, participating firms have also committed to improving Hubs by standardising the services available between firms, ensuring that customers do not require their own digital device to bank, trialling a ‘customer liaison service’ and trialling Saturday openings. The banks have agreed to keep services under review to ensure their effectiveness for all customers.