Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy that any central bank digital currency will not be used to direct, control or hold under surveillance the spending of holders of such currency by ensuring that the currency is not programmable.

The Government and the Bank of England have not yet made a decision on whether to introduce a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the UK, and will engage widely with stakeholders on the benefits, risks and practicalities of doing so.

Maintaining user safety and privacy is an utmost priority as the Government and the Bank appraises the case for a CBDC in the UK.

The Government’s commitment to ensuring any CBDCs operate within appropriate privacy frameworks was set out in the G7’s public policy principles for CBDC, as part of the UK’s G7 Presidency.  These principles set out rigorous standards of privacy, accountability for the protection of users’ data, and transparency on how information will be secured and used is essential for any CBDC to command trust and confidence.

Earlier this month, the Government committed to public consultation with the Bank of England in 2022 setting out an assessment of the case for a UK CBDC, including the merits of further work to develop an operational and technology model for a UK CBDC.