Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to make investment in software eligible for the Super Deduction allowance.

Budget 2021 announced that from 1 April 2021 until 31 March 2023, companies investing in qualifying new plant and machinery assets will benefit from both the 130% super-deduction and a 50% first-year capital allowance.

Expenditure on qualifying plant and machinery capital investments used by a company in the course of a trade can qualify for the relevant first-year allowance, including fibre cables. Software can also qualify for the super-deduction, provided the company makes an election to remove software from the intangible fixed assets regime. Expenditure on the learning and development of staff does not qualify for the super-deduction but is already an allowable expense for tax purposes.