Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what decision they have reached following their consultation on the proposal that employers hiring an ex-offender should receive a National Insurance holiday for that individual.

This question was answered on 16th March 2020
The Government keeps all taxes under review and will continue to consider this proposal in light of its wider strategy on supporting ex-offenders.

The Government has already taken a number of steps to support ex-offenders in gaining employment, including establishing the New Futures Network, a specialist part of the prison service that brokers partnerships between prisons and employers; and committing to deliver a Prison Education Service, with a key priority being to enable more prisoners to find employment on release.