Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to increase democratic participation in debates around taxation.

The Chancellor’s annual Budget sets out the Government’s taxation plans, which by tradition are closely scrutinised by MPs over the course of four full days of debate before the Budget resolutions are passed.

Tax measures requiring primary legislation are then taken forward in the Finance Bill, which is subject to the full process of legislative scrutiny in the House of Commons. This includes a Committee stage opened by a Committee of the Whole House, where key measures can be debated in the Chamber itself, before concluding in a Public Bill Committee.

These opportunities for MPs to debate and scrutinise tax policy are complemented by the Treasury’s established tax policy making process: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-new-budget-timetable-and-the-tax-policy-making-process/the-new-budget-timetable-and-the-tax-policy-making-process

This ensures stakeholders can feed into policy development where possible. Under this process, tax policy announcements at the Budget are followed by a policy consultation and the publication of draft legislation, before being confirmed and legislated for in Parliament. Ahead of each Budget, the Treasury also welcomes written representations from stakeholders, such as interest groups, individuals, and representative bodies, which are considered as part of decisions which underpin the Budget.