Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office on 9 December (HC96190), what public funds had been (1) spent, and (2) committed without the ability to cancel or refund the payments, on digital ID prior to their announcement of the cancellation of the programme.

The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated that the Digital ID programme could cost £1.8 billion over three years. Cancellation of the programme removes a future cost pressure on public finances. In relation to the proposal on reduction in electricity VAT, alluded to in the question, funding can be reallocated between years and the future of VAT on electricity will be set out at the Budget, where any further decisions will be funded.