Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to reform business rates.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.
Autumn Budget 2024 announced the government’s first steps, including an intention to introduce permanently lower multipliers for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties from April 2026. The government intends to fund this sustainably via a higher multiplier on properties with Rateable Values (RV) of £500,000 or more.
During the interim period, for 2025-26, RHL properties will receive a 40% relief on business rates bills up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. The small business multiplier paid by properties with RVs below £51,000 will also be frozen for a further year.
The government has published a discussion paper which sets out priority areas for further reform and invites stakeholders to a conversation about transforming the system over the Parliament.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many claims for Research and Development tax credits were made (a) fraudulently and (b) in error since 2010
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Estimates of the level of error and fraud in research and development tax credits are published in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts. The latest publication can be found on Gov.uk at: HMRC Annual Report and Accounts 2023 to 2024 . The methodology used to calculate the level of error and fraud for 2020-2021 was significantly improved for the 2022-2023 Annual Reports and Accounts.
Estimates of the level of error and fraud in research and development tax credits for earlier years are not available on a comparable basis.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will ensure data held by HMRC to help identify people eligible for Pension Credit is made available to local authorities.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is subject to a strict duty of confidentiality and may only disclose information it holds where the law allows.
There are a number of exceptions to this duty which allow HMRC to share information. These include sharing information where a statutory information sharing gateway provides for it.
HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) work closely to deliver information to Local Authorities (LAs) to enable then to administer a number of benefits and payments.
Where there is a legal basis for LAs to receive or re-use HMRC information shared with them via DWP for the purpose of identifying those eligible for benefits, including Pension Credit, HMRC will work with DWP to support such requests.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to implement the proposed changes in the tax treatment of furnished holiday lettings in the next financial year.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government will abolish the Furnished Holiday Lets (FHLs) tax regime from April 2025. This will equalise the tax treatment of FHL and non-FHL landlords’ income and gains.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the zero emissions vehicle mandate on fuel duty revenues between (a) 2025 and 2030, (b) 2030 and 2040 and (c) 2040 and 2050.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate requires 80% of all new cars to be zero emission by 2030. There will be no sales of new pure combustion engine cars from 2030 under the Government's plans, and more details on specific 2030-35 requirements for both cars and vans will be set out shortly.
The shift to zero emission electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial for decarbonising the transport sector and tackling climate change, while injecting billions of pounds worth of investment into our economy and creating high skilled jobs.
As this shift progresses, fuel duty revenues will start to decline, as set out by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in their September 2024 Fiscal Risks and Sustainability report and November 2023 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. Full forecasts for fuel duty revenue over the next five years, certified by the OBR, will be published at Budget on 30 October.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to publish what the total value of (a) income tax paid, (b) National Insurance Contributions paid, (c) tax credits claimed and (d) child benefit claimed for non-UK nationals is, broken down by nationality, for each of the last five years.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC no longer produce a breakdown of Income Tax paid, National Insurance contributions paid, tax credits claimed and Child Benefit claimed by nationality. The latest publication was in August 2022.