Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the comments made by the then Tourism Minister on 3 September 2025 (Hansard col 351), that the Government has no plans to introduce a tourism tax, remain the policy of her Department.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose.
We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.
The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear these concerns. This will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied and how any revenue is invested.
Following consultation, we expect Mayors would publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment, informed by the consultation.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a visitor levy on a) domestic and inbound tourism demand, b) inflation and c) the cost burden on hospitality businesses.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose.
We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.
The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear these concerns. This will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied and how any revenue is invested.
Following consultation, we expect Mayors would publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment, informed by the consultation.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues about a potential introduction of a tourism tax or visitor levy powers.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose.
We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.
The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear these concerns. This will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied and how any revenue is invested.
Following consultation, we expect Mayors would publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment, informed by the consultation.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of HMRC’s attempts to tackle landfill tax fraud on unauthorised illegal waste sites; and how much money has been recovered from prosecutions in the last 3 years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government applies Landfill Tax to disposals made at sites without an environmental disposal permit (unauthorised waste sites). This aims to deter non-compliance by making the illegal disposal of waste less profitable, and reinforcing the principle of “polluter pays”.
In the last 5 years, HMRC Landfill Tax compliance activities have generated a compliance yield of £1.3 billion.
HMRC have conducted over 250 compliance interventions over the last three years at illegal unauthorised waste sites, generating approximately £4.5 million in compliance yield.
HMRC also works closely with environmental regulators to identify and tackle disposals of unauthorised waste.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the annual budget for the proposed Office for Value for Money; whether that body will be established in statute; and how its Board will be appointed.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
As the Chancellor laid before the House in her speech, the government has established a new Office of Value for Money, with an immediate focus on identifying areas where we can reduce, stop, or improve the value of spending. The chair of the office will report directly to the Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury who will be appointed in due course.
The office will not be established in statute but will sit within HM Treasury.
Existing departmental resources will be reprioritised to fulfil the needs of the office where possible.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on how many occasions she had transition talks with officials in her Department in the last Parliament; and whether she had discussions on economic forecasts pertaining to the public finances.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The process for access talks is set out in the Cabinet Manual. Access talks are initiated with permission from the Prime Minister of the day and are confidential.
It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place between Cabinet ministers and officials is not shared publicly.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her speech of 8 July 2024, whether the Office for Budget Responsibility has played a role in her review of public finances.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The Chancellor presented to Parliament today an assessment of the state of our spending inheritance. The Chancellor confirmed the Budget will be held on the 30th October, alongside a full and independent forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
What progress he has made on reducing the amount of income tax that people pay.
Answered by Mel Stride - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
The government is committed to keeping taxes low to support working people keep more of what they earn.
Budget 2018 announced that the government will increase the personal allowance to £12,500 and the higher rate threshold to £50,000 from April 2019, one year earlier than planned.
This tax cut means, in 2019-20, a typical basic rate taxpayer will pay £1,205 less in tax than in 2010-11. Across the UK, 1.74 million of the lowest paid will be taken out of tax entirely since 2015, leaving more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
What assessment he has made of potential risks to the economy from high levels of Government borrowing.
Answered by John Glen
In 2010 we inherited the largest deficit since the second world war at nearly 10% of GDP. We’ve successfully reduced that to 2.3% last year, but our debt is still too high.
High levels of debt leave us vulnerable to economic shocks and incur significant amounts of debt interest.
That is why the government has clear fiscal plans to reduce borrowing further and get debt falling.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to widen access to basic bank accounts.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Improving access to banking services is central to the Government’s agenda. I am therefore delighted that the nine largest personal current account providers in the UK have been offering new basic bank accounts since January 2016.
For the first time, truly fee-free basic bank accounts are available for anyone who doesn’t have an account, or can’t use their account due to financial difficulty.