Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to promote investment in venture capital trusts.

The venture capital trust (VCT) regime was significantly expanded at Budget 2012. VCTs can now invest up to £5 million a year into each qualifying company, and larger companies (with up to 250 employees and £15 million of gross assets) can benefit from the investments.

The government believes that the VCT regime, alongside the other tax-advantaged venture capital schemes, plays a key role in facilitating access to finance for smaller businesses with growth potential. At Budget 2014 the government announced that changes would be made to enable investors to subscribe for VCT shares via nominees, to facilitate a wider range of opportunities to invest in VCTs. The government has also recently consulted on the impact of the recent expansions to the venture capital schemes and is committed to ensuring that the schemes continue to work effectively.