Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the comparative effectiveness of targeted VAT reductions versus temporary consumer stimulus schemes on employment retention in the service sector.

The government does not in general publish internal evidence relating to, or assessments of, tax changes which are not currently intended to be made.

The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.