theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_129
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_129

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that streaming services ensure their content is not in breach of UK law. \p Stephanie Peacock: Ofcom regulates the content on UK-based streaming services through their on-demand programme services rules. Under regulations introduced through the Media Act 2024, the Government is giving Ofcom new powers to draft and enforce a Video-on-demand Code for designated services, which can include non-UK based streaming services. This will be similar to the Broadcasting Code, which sets appropriate standards for content on linear television, including rules on harmful and offensive material, accuracy, fairness, and privacy. In addition, the distribution of particular types of content can constitute a criminal offence.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_130
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_130

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has considered providing funding for the creation of a Covid-19 memorial in Romford constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: The UK Commission on Covid Commemoration consulted on how to commemorate the COVID-19 pandemic and mark this distinctive period in our history at a national and community level. This Commission made a number of recommendations, including the importance of local memorials in commemorating the Covid-19 pandemic in providing a place to grieve and remember their loved ones. Since the publication of the Commission’s report, a number of COVID-19 memorials have been developed across the country by local Government, local businesses and community groups.

This government wants to carefully consider all the Commission's recommendations, working closely with Bereaved Family groups, wider stakeholders and the Devolved Governments to do justice to the hard work of the Commission, and will publish a response, including to the recommendation around the creation of new memorials, in due course.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_131
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_131

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help protect (a) children and (b) young people from online gambling harms. \p Stephanie Peacock: Since 2020, children and young people have been taught about the risks relating to gambling as part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in England. 30% of statutory gambling levy funding will be allocated to prevention activity, including education and early intervention to help raise awareness of harmful gambling and the support available.

There are also a range of robust protections in place to ensure that gambling advertising, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed and exploited.

We continue to monitor the best available evidence to inform how we reduce gambling harm amongst children and young people.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_132
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_132

Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of gambling premises on (a) anti-social behaviour and (b) other crime. \p Stephanie Peacock: Those experiencing gambling-related harm in England can access specialist treatment through specialist NHS Gambling Clinics available in every region of the country, including the Southern Gambling Service. There is also a range of support through the National Gambling Support Network.

The Government has introduced a statutory levy on gambling operators to improve and expand the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms. This will include ringfenced funding overseen by NHS England and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales to commission the full treatment pathway, from referral and triage through to aftercare. We will continue to work with NHS England in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh governments, as well as third sector providers, to design and deliver our approach to treatment of gambling-related harms across Great Britain.

Licensing authorities are able to set conditions on premises to mitigate risks posed by anti-social behaviour and crime. This can include imposing enhanced security requirements which take into account risks from their local area profiles. Premises licence holders must also conduct a local area risk assessment for each of their premises which includes risk mitigation around crime and anti-social behaviour. The local area risk assessment is subject to inspection by the licensing authority. There are also schemes such as Betwatch, a community-based crime prevention scheme between the Gambling Commission, the police, local council, and gambling premises, which is designed to tackle localised anti-social and criminal behaviour in and around betting shops.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_133
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_133

Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made on the potential impact of gambling advertising, promotion and sponsorship on the (a) mental health and (b) finances of (i) people with a gambling problem and (ii) people susceptible to a gambling problem. \p Stephanie Peacock: This government recognises that while advertising is a legitimate advantage which licensed operators have over illegal gambling firms, increased exposure to gambling advertising can have an impact on gambling participation. Some forms of advertising can also have a disproportionate impact on particular groups, such as children and those who are already experiencing problems with their gambling.

There are existing robust rules in place to ensure that advertising and marketing, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed and exploited. The Gambling Commission is also introducing new requirements for operators to allow customers to have greater control over the direct marketing they receive, and measures to ensure that incentives such as free bets are constructed in a socially responsible manner.

However, we recognise that more can be done to improve protections. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to raise standards and this work will be monitored closely.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_134
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_134

Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the need for longitudinal research into the impact of online gambling on children and young people. \p Stephanie Peacock: The government would welcome new longitudinal research on this topic to further build our evidence base to inform our understanding of children and young people’s gambling behaviour and harm in Great Britain.

The statutory levy on licensed gambling operators came into force on 6 April and will raise around £100 million each year. We have committed up to £20m of levy funding for quality, independent research overseen by UK Research and Innovation. This could include further work on longitudinal studies.

We continue to monitor the best available evidence to assess the impact of online gambling on children and young people.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_135
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_135

Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she considered including the West Somerset Opportunity Area in the South West region for the DCMS Create Growth Programme Competition 4. \p Sir Chris Bryant: The Create Growth Programme supports high-growth creative businesses and SMEs in twelve English regions outside London to scale up and become investment ready. This is delivered through three strands of support - bespoke business support, financial support and investor capacity building activities.

The financial support, including that offered through Competition 4, awards grants to support innovation projects to individual businesses who are registered or operational within one of the twelve participating regions. Participating regions were determined by a competitive application process to appoint local area partnerships.

The West of England and Cornwall local area partnership is a participating region in the programme. That partnership covers the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority area (ie Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset), North Somerset, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, but does not include the West Somerset Opportunity Area. There are currently no plans to increase the number of participating regions.

We would encourage all interested businesses to contact Innovate UK to explore other suitable support or opportunities which are open to the whole of the UK.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_136
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_136

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 43101 on Tower of London, whether her Department has received correspondence from (a) ICOMOS and (b) UNESCO in relation to the potential impact of the proposals for a Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint on the Tower of London World Heritage Site; and if she will place a copy of the paragraph 172 notification letter sent by her Department on 25 February 2025 in the Library. \p Sir Chris Bryant: No, the Department has not received any correspondence from ICOMOS or UNESCO regarding the potential impact of the proposals on the Tower of London World Heritage Site.

Yes, a copy of the paragraph 172 notification sent by the Department on 28 February 2025 will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_137
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_137

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many applications for export licences for objects of cultural interest were (a) received and (b) granted in each month of the past 5 years; and what was the total value of these items. \p Sir Chris Bryant: The Export Licensing Unit, run by Arts Council England, received a total number of 27,501 applications for export licenses for objects of cultural interest from May 2020-April 2025, a monthly average of 466. The total number of granted applications was 25,142.

A monthly breakdown is also available, see attached.

The total value of the items for which licenses were issued was £44,987,629,884.

Monthly licenses (pdf, 35.1KB)
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_138
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_138

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many civil servants in her Department have been disciplined for (a) plagiarism and (b) making false statements on a CV when applying for a job in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available. \p James Murray: HM Treasury has not taken any formal disciplinary action against any of its civil servants for plagiarism or making factually incorrect statements in a CV or a job application in the last 12 months.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_139
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_139

Helen Morgan:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to increase VAT to 20% for private hire passenger fares outside of London. \p James Murray: Private hire vehicle services provided by VAT-registered businesses are, and always have been, subject to the standard rate of VAT (20%).

The Government is carefully considering the wide range of views shared through last year's consultation on the VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_140
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_140

Richard Fuller:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on provisional supply teachers. \p James Murray: Additional funding to support schools with NICs costs will be allocated through the NICs grant in 2025-26. Schools will have flexibility over how they use this grant funding to meet their costs, including those relating to supply teachers.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_141
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_141

Sarah Bool:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will conduct a review of the VAT system as it applies to (a) the hair and beauty sector and (b) other labour-intensive industries. \p James Murray: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is also the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26.

Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_142
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_142

Victoria Collins:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of changes to the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief Scheme on businesses. \p James Murray: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.    At Autumn Budget 2024, we took the first step with the announcement of permanently lower tax rates for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties (RHL) with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. Without any Government intervention, RHL relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government has decided to offer a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025-26 and frozen the small business multiplier.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_143
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_143

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the (a) subsidies and (b) tax reliefs available to (i) Rosebank, (ii) Jackdaw and (iii) other new oil and gas developments. \p James Murray: The OBR’s most recent forecast of tax revenues from the oil and gas sector is available at the following link: https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2025/.

Similarly, where data is available, estimates of the cost of tax reliefs applicable to the oil and gas sector are at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-relief-statistics. This publication contains non-disclosive estimates of the number of claimants for each relief. The UK does not give any subsidies to fossil fuel companies in line with the International Energy Agency’s definition of a fossil fuel subsidy.

A predictable and stable fiscal regime is essential to create the right conditions for investment and to protect jobs in the North Sea. On 5 March 2025, the government published a consultation https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/oil-and-gas-price-mechanism-consultation setting out options for the design of a new permanent oil and gas price mechanism to respond to future oil and gas price shocks, which will replace the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) when that ends in 2030 or earlier if the EPL’s price floor is triggered.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_144
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_144

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she plans to take to support small businesses with (a) energy prices, (b) inflation and (c) business rates. \p James Murray: At Autumn Budget the Government announced it was freezing the small businesses multiplier for 2025-26, and extending the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) business rates relief for 1-year at 40% (up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business). This means over a million properties will be protected from inflationary increases. In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Autumn Budget 2025.

On energy prices, the Government supports businesses with electricity costs through the British Industrial Energy Supercharger. This is targeted towards businesses that are simultaneously more exposed to competition through trade and more impacted by higher energy prices. Currently the scheme saves businesses approximately 34% on electricity costs.

The Bank of England has responsibility for sustainably returning inflation to the 2% target, and the Government is supporting them to control inflation by reducing borrowing year on year from 2025-26 and meeting the fiscal rules.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_145
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_145

Neil O'Brien:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in (a) her Department and (b) HMRC have job titles that include the words (i) equality, (ii) diversity, (iii) inclusion, (iv) gender, (v) LGBT and (vi) race. \p James Murray: HM Treasury has a headcount of 2 staff who have (i) equality, (ii) diversity, (iii) inclusion, (iv) gender, (v) LGBT or (vi) race in their job title.

HMRC has a headcount of 12 staff who have (i) equality, (ii) diversity, (iii) inclusion, (iv) gender, (v) LGBT and (vi) race in their job title
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_146
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_146

Mark Sewards:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to introduce measures to help tackle (a) profit shifting and (b) other corporation tax avoidance methods used by multinational corporations. \p James Murray: The UK is tackling profit shifting and multinational tax avoidance through measures including Corporate Interest Restriction, Country by Country Reporting, and the Global Minimum Tax. The most recent Finance Bill, introduced by this Government, put legislation in place to ensure the Global Minimum Tax operates effectively.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_147
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_147

Sarah Bool:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report entitled Avoiding the Cliff Edge: Considering possible options for a VAT threshold smoothing mechanism, published on 9 January 2024. \p James Murray: The Government will continue to bear in mind businesses’ views of this threshold. At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU Member State and the second highest in the OECD. This keeps the majority of UK businesses out of VAT altogether. The Government will continue to bear in mind businesses’ views of this threshold.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_148
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_148

Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending eligibility for the Enterprise Investment Scheme tax relief to people investing in community assets that are leased and operated by community groups but owned by commercial landlords. \p James Murray: The venture capital schemes, including the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), are intended to incentivise investment into early-stage, higher-risk companies that are seeking to make profit, and to grow and develop their businesses. To ensure that the schemes are targeted at higher risk companies which face the greatest difficulties in accessing finance, and to provide value for money to UK taxpayers, certain lower-risk activities are excluded, including the leasing of land.

The Government supports community investment in other ways. For example, the Community Investment Tax Relief (CITR) stimulates private investment in disadvantaged communities. It provides a tax incentive to individuals and companies that invest in accredited Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), which in turn invest in enterprises located in or serving those communities. In 2022/23, CITR accredited CDFIs raised over £11m of investment and made 355 loans worth over £20m to enterprises located in disadvantaged communities.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_149
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_149

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC policy requires Government Ministers to pay an income tax charge for political gifts given to them of (a) clothes, (b) glasses and (c) accommodation from party political donors. \p James Murray: Ministers are employees for the purposes of Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions.

The normal rules for employment-related benefits apply to employment-related gifts, as set out in HMRC’s guidance at www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim20020

There is an exemption for small gifts costing a total of £250 or less per year to provide, HMRC guidance can be found at https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim21715
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_150
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_150

Chris Curtis:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the tax treatment of red diesel on small farming businesses. \p James Murray: In 2020, the previous Government announced that the red diesel entitlement would be withdrawn from most sectors from April 2022. However, farmers retained the entitlement to use red diesel for agricultural machinery.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government extended the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelled the planned inflation increase for 2025-26, maintaining the red diesel rate at the levels set in March 2022 at 10.18p per litre.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_151
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_151

Priti Patel:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Time To Pay Agreements with (a) individuals and (b) businesses there were in each year since 2020; how many of those agreements have been (i) terminated and (ii) renegotiated since July 2024; and how many complaints about those agreements from (A) individuals and (B) businesses HMRC has received since July 2024. \p James Murray: HMRC publishes data on the number of customers in Time to Pay (TTP) arrangements as part of its quarterly performance updates, which can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates

Over 90% of TTP arrangements are completed successfully. There is a variety of reasons why a TTP arrangement might end before the agreed period; for example, a customer may fail to make their payments on time, the customer may pay the debt in full, or they may ask HMRC to “renegotiate” the TTP to include new liabilities becoming due or to reflect a change in circumstances. HMRC’s systems do not hold data on how many TTPs have specifically been “terminated” or “renegotiated”. “Renegotiated” TTPs are included in the overall published TTP figures.

Extracting the relevant information to confirm how many complaints HMRC has received about “terminated” or “renegotiated” TTPs since July 2024, broken down by individuals and businesses, would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold for Written Parliamentary Questions.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_152
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_152

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department. \p James Murray: HM Treasury does not observe religious or cultural holidays. Staff have time off for bank holidays, some of which fall on religious holidays, as part of their leave allowance.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_153
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_153

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of the potential cumulative impact of (a) (i) the extended producer responsibility scheme, (ii) VAT and (iii) beer duty and (b) equivalent taxes in other major European economies on pubs. \p James Murray: I refer the hon. member to my answer 41143 on 2 April.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_154
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_154

Mr Will Forster:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the effective prosecution of tax evasion. \p James Murray: HMRC is not a prosecuting authority, however they have a strong and effective working relationship with their prosecuting partners – the Crown Prosecution Service, Public Prosecution Service, and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. HMRC works closely with prosecutors to conduct criminal investigations and prepare cases to the highest evidential standard, before the relevant prosecuting authority decides if criminal charges should be made and prosecutions sought.

HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) and its prosecution partners have a strong success rate, with an average conviction rate of over 90 per cent across the 8 years since FIS was created.

HMRC is supporting the government’s ambition to close the tax gap via measures set out at Spring Statement.

In particular, HMRC is expanding its counter-fraud capability to increase the number of annual charging decisions for the most harmful tax fraud by 20%, compared to current levels, from 500 to 600 per year by 2029-30. This will lead to increased prosecutions in future years.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_155
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_155

John Glen:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost of the 2024-25 civil service pay settlements. \p Darren Jones: Pay for civil servants outside of the Senior Civil Service is not set centrally; rather, departments and bodies have freedom to make decisions on pay within the parameters of the Pay Remit Guidance published annually by the Cabinet Office. The Pay Remit Guidance for 2024/5 can be found using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pay-remit-guidance-2024-to-2025/civil-service-pay-remit-guidance-2024-to-2025.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_156
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_156

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the use of the Transformation Fund to reform palliative and end of life care services. \p Darren Jones: The Spending Review is underway and details will be announced on 11th June.

As part of the Spring Statement, Government announced a £3.25bn Transformation Fund to drive efficiencies across government and save money later in the Parliament and set out how this would be allocated over the Spending Review process.

Government is determined to make sure that everyone has access to high-quality end of life care. In December 2024 we announced a £100 million boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, and £26 million revenue to support children and young people’s hospices.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_157
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_157

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the amount of funding being allocated by the UK Government to each of the devolved administrations to fund the direct and indirect cost of higher National Insurance Contributions on local government is in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland; and what proportion of the direct and indirect costs must be funded by the devolved Administrations. \p Darren Jones: At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support them with the additional cost associated with changes to employer National Insurance Contributions policy.

The devolved governments will receive funding through the Barnett formula in the usual way in 2025-26, including on this support. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. The outcome of the Barnett formula will be confirmed, and funding provided for all devolved governments at Main Estimates 2025-26.

It is for the devolved governments to allocate their funding in devolved areas as they see fit, including on workforce. They can therefore take their own decisions on managing and investing available resources, reflecting their own priorities and local circumstances, and they are accountable to the devolved legislatures for these decisions.

The devolved governments’ Phase 1 Spending Review 2025 settlements are growing in real terms in 2025-26 and are the largest spending review settlements in real terms of any settlements since devolution. The devolved governments are each receiving at least 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK. That translates into over £16 billion more in 2025-26.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_158
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_158

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spring Statement 2025, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of welfare reforms on costs to the NHS. \p Darren Jones: The Chancellor discussed welfare reforms with Cabinet colleagues in the usual way ahead of the publication of the Pathways to Work Green Paper and Spring Statement 2025.

As the Chancellor and the Work and Pensions Secretary have set out, these reforms will make the benefits system more pro work, and putting it on a more fiscally sustainable trajectory so that it can continue to protect the most vulnerable.

The Government is committed through its Plan to Change to getting the NHS back on its feet and has prioritised investment into it through a £22.6bn increase in resource spending for DHSC from 23/24 to 25/26.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_159
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_159

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Valuation Office Agency plans to publish the draft council tax bandings for dwellings in Wales as part of the council tax revaluation in Wales. \p James Murray: The Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024 states that the Welsh Ministers can specify, in an order, the date by which listing officers must send a copy of the proposed valuation list to their billing authorities. If the Welsh Ministers do not make such an order, the deadline will be the 1 September before the date on which the list is to be compiled.

Therefore, for a compiled list date of 1 April 2028, the proposed valuation list would be made available on or before 1 September 2027.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_160
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_160

Shivani Raja:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the number of pubs that will close in (a) Leicester East and (b) the United Kingdom as a result of employer National Insurance contribution rises. \p James Murray: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change. It means employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs.

Businesses will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under-21s and under-25 apprentices.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_161
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_161

Margaret Mullane:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a VAT relief scheme for Further Education institutions. \p James Murray: Education services supplied by an “eligible body” are exempt from VAT. For VAT purposes, an “eligible body” broadly refers to most regulated, publicly funded, or not-for-profit education providers. This means no VAT is charged on supplies of education made by further education colleges, nor are further education colleges able to recover the VAT they have incurred on their expenditure.

The Government is not currently planning to introduce a VAT refund scheme for further education institutions.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_162
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_162

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) increasing Employment Allowance and (b) reducing National Insurance contributions for small businesses. \p James Murray: The Government has taken necessary decisions to fix the public finances and create long-term stability in which businesses can invest and thrive.

The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from the changes to Employer NICs announced at the last Budget by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change. It means employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_163
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_163

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 39028 on Housing: Pylons, whether the Valuation Office Agency has made an assessment of the potential impact of a pylon being erected within 500 metres on the capital value of a dwelling. \p James Murray: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has not made a general assessment on the potential impact on a dwelling’s capital value from a pylon being erected within 500 metres of a dwelling.

If the VOA receives a proposal seeking a change in the Valuation List citing the erection of a pylon in the locality, the Listing Officer will assess any valuation impact always having regard to the specific facts of the case. This will include the characteristics of the dwelling, the position of the pylon, and features of the surrounding area. The Listing Officer would then determine whether the changed physical state of the locality would have affected the dwelling’s value at the relevant valuation date. The valuation date for England is 1 April 1991, and for Wales is 1 April 2003.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_164
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_164

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the economic benefits generated by the (a) Video Games Tax Relief and (b) Video Games Expenditure Credit; and if she will take steps to reform tax incentives. \p James Murray: Video games companies benefit from the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC), which provides a generous tax credit of 34 per cent on UK video games development costs.

A report published by the BFI in 2021 found that VGEC, previously known as the Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR), supported increased spend in the UK by 22.8% between 2017-2019.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_165
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_165

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to reform business rates to reduce the financial burden on small high street businesses in Newton Abbot constituency. \p James Murray: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

At Autumn Budget 2024, we took the first step with the announcement of permanently lower tax rates for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties that make up the backbone of our high streets, from 2026-27.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.

The Budget announcements reflect the Government’s first steps to support the high street. We want to go further to modernise the system, and so, we have published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century.

In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Autumn Budget 2025.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_166
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_166

Tom Morrison:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how often the Valuation Office Agency compared different types of properties in order to assess a request from a resident to change a council tax banding in each of the last five years; and on how many occasions there were no similar properties to compare. \p James Murray: The Valuation Office Agency does not centrally aggregate and record the data in the form requested.

When assessing a home for Council Tax banding purposes, the VOA will refer to relevant sales of comparable properties, look at the bands of other comparable properties in the locality and, when appropriate, consider any Valuation Tribunal decisions made on similar properties.

If there are very few comparable properties in the immediate locality, the VOA will consider comparable properties from a wider area, or properties which are similar in character but have some differences.

More information on how the VOA values and bands domestic properties can be found in the Council Tax manual which is published on GOV.UK. Statistics on Council Tax challenges and changes made to the England and Wales Council Tax valuation lists are published annually and can also be found on GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_167
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_167

Victoria Collins:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of taxation policies on (a) farm investment and (b) succession planning on domestic food production. \p James Murray: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992.

The reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, paying more inheritance tax in 2026-27. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data.

The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_168
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_168

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of extending the Air Passenger Duty exemption for children under 16 years old to (a) Premium Economy and (b) any other cabin class travel. \p James Murray: Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines, not individual passengers, and is the principal tax on the aviation sector. It is expected to raise £4.2 billion in 2024-25 and it aims to ensure that airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty. The distance-based band structure ensures that those who travel furthest, and in the greatest comfort, incur a greater tax liability.

Children under 16 years old on the date of the flight, and in the lowest class of travel, are exempt from APD. This means that no APD will be paid on that passenger by the airline to the UK government. If children under 16 years old are travelling in any other class (such as premium economy) or in business jets, they are not exempt. Children under 2 years old without a seat are exempt from Air Passenger Duty for all classes of travel.

Airline operators declare the number of chargeable passengers by destination band and by rate. They do not break down chargeable passengers by age, and therefore this is not information that HMRC collects.

The government has published annual statistics and analysis on airline passenger numbers and Air Passenger Duty (APD) receipts in the UK which are administered by HM Revenue and Customs. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-passenger-duty-bulletin.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_169
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_169

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) phones, (b) laptops and (c) other electronic devices have been lost by their Department since 5 July 2024. \p James Murray: The following table includes the number of lost department-issued devices by HM Treasury since 5 July 2024.

Breakdown of department-issued equipment type

Number of lost items

Mobile phones

55

Laptops

6

Other electronic devices

0
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_170
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_170

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to raise the VAT registration threshold in line with inflation to support small businesses. \p James Murray: At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This keeps the majority of businesses out of the VAT regime altogether.

Any consideration of changes to the threshold would have to carefully balance potential impacts on small businesses, the economy as a whole, and tax revenues. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_171
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_171

Munira Wilson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to support self-employed people who were excluded from financial support during the pandemic. \p James Murray: Decisions on eligibility for Covid-19 financial support were taken by the previous government. The previous Government decided to provide support through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) based on two principles, a) targeting support at those who needed it most and b), guarding against error, fraud, and abuse, whilst reaching as many individuals as possible. Those ineligible for the schemes may have been eligible for other elements of financial support provided by the previous Government.

The current Government is working to improve living standards for everyone across the country. We are taking immediate action to support individuals, such as committing to no increases in employee National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT as we want to keep taxes low for working people. The Government has put growth as its number one mission, which will help individuals by boosting wages and putting more money in people’s pockets.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_172
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_172

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the press release entitled Regulator axed as red tape is slashed to boost growth, published on 11 March 2025, what the estimated reduction in staff numbers is from the merger of the Payment Services Regulator into the Financial Conduct Authority; what functions will cease; and whether staff will be required to move desks. \p Emma Reynolds: The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has carried out important work to support the UK’s world leading payments sector. However, moving forward, the Government wishes to see a more streamlined regulatory environment with minimal overlap between regulators’ responsibilities. That is why the Government has announced its intentions to consolidate the PSR and its functions primarily within the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The Government will consult on the detail of this proposal in the summer. However, the expectation is that most functions will move to the FCA, reflecting the close synergies between those organisations.

Questions regarding the staffing of the FCA are matters for the regulator, which is independent from Government.