Written questions by Burghart.

With reference to Office for Value for Money: Reforming the spending control and accountability framework, published 26 November 2025, whether the Chief Secretary to the Treasury will be required to approve exit payments under the new regime that operates from April 2026.

For contractual exit payments, any costs that exceed the Department’s delegated authority limit will need normal spending approvals. For non-contractual exit payments, the approval requirements, including the criteria for Chief Secretary to the Treasury approval, are set out in Public Sector Exit Payments Guidance on Special Severance Payments - GOV.UK.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the EU Capital Requirements Directive VI on the UK banking sector.

As with all significant financial regulation developments in other jurisdictions, HMT is considering the potential implications of the EU Capital Requirements Directive VI on the UK banking sector. Strengthening our relationships with international partners, including the EU, is a key focus of the Government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy.

Whether the UK will be liable for early termination payments if it does not renew Erasmus+ for a second year.

The UK will not be liable for any termination payments should the UK choose not to associate to the Erasmus+ programme from 2028.

Further to pages 106 and 107 of the Part of a Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 4 February 2026 relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, Volume 1, HC1774-I, 11 March 2026 and with reference to paragraph 3.1 of her Department's document entitled Guidance on Public Sector Exit Payments, published in November 2025, and Annex A4.13 of her Department's document entitled Managing Public Money, published in June 2025, what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Developments Affairs on whether the Special Severance Payment was paid to Lord Mandelson because it was (a) exceptional, (b) novel, (c) contentious and (d) repercussive.

The Chancellor did not have any discussions with the Foreign Secretary on this issue.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the Bank of England on the potential impact of the removal of historic British figures from the new series of banknotes on British national identity.

The Bank of England is entirely responsible for the design, production, issue and distribution of banknotes. HM Treasury has not discussed the change of design with the Bank of England.

Whether the Office for Budget Responsibility will publish a fiscal mandate assessment alongside the Spring Statement.

As the Chancellor announced at Budget 2025, the OBR will assess performance against the fiscal rules once a year at the Budget, in line with the government’s commitment to a single major fiscal event per year.

What data (a) her department and (b) NISTA holds on the number of PFI contracts which are due to expire in each of the next three years; and what guidance has been given to central government on PFI expiry and next steps.

HM Treasury publishes aggregate information on PFI and PF2 projects annually, including data on contract expiry dates. NISTA has published guidance for contracting authorities on managing PFI contract expiry and next steps.

With reference to the Budget Information Security Review, February 2026, paragraph 4.7, whether the new rules that media contact must be authorised by the communications team will (a) allow or (b) prohibit, the pre-Budget briefing of Budget announcements or speculation by HM Treasury special advisers to the media where that briefing has been authorised by Treasury Ministers, but not authorised by Civil Servants.

As explained by the Budget Information Security Review (BISR), the information security policies at para 4.7 are not new The approach that applies to briefing is set out in paras 5.19 and 5.20 of the BISR, which notes that they apply to all staff including Special Advisers.

|To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025 to Question 98157 on Customs: Digital Technology, how much has been spent on the Single Trade Window programme.

The delivery of the Single trade Window (STW) has been paused and additional funding was not provided in the Spending Review 2025. Therefore, there are currently no HMRC staff assigned to the operational delivery of the STW programme. However, policy development continues with resources from a range of teams including Customs Policy and Strategy and Customer Services and Operations. The government’s policy development work is focussed on understanding industry needs and designing a service that delivers genuine value to businesses and strengthens the UK’s border system. The STW programme had £180 million funding allocated at the 2021 Spending Review across three financial years - 2022/23 to 2024/25. The final spend on STW over 22/23, 23/24 and 24/25 was £111.44 million.

Pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025, to Question 98157, on Customs: Digital Technology, what is the status of the Single Trade Window programme, how many HMRC staff now work on it, and whether it has been funded in the Spending Review 2025.

The delivery of the Single trade Window (STW) has been paused and additional funding was not provided in the Spending Review 2025. Therefore, there are currently no HMRC staff assigned to the operational delivery of the STW programme. However, policy development continues with resources from a range of teams including Customs Policy and Strategy and Customer Services and Operations. The government’s policy development work is focussed on understanding industry needs and designing a service that delivers genuine value to businesses and strengthens the UK’s border system. The STW programme had £180 million funding allocated at the 2021 Spending Review across three financial years - 2022/23 to 2024/25. The final spend on STW over 22/23, 23/24 and 24/25 was £111.44 million.

Whether the National Wealth Fund operates a salary sacrifice scheme for its Defined Contribution staff pension offering.

The National Wealth Fund does not operate a salary sacrifice scheme in respect of its Defined Contribution staff pension offering. Details of the National Wealth Fund’s pension offering are set out in the Remuneration Report within its Annual Report and Accounts, which can be accessed here: https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/media/wpxnswqx/e03371942_nwf-ara-24-25_accessible_2.pdf

What data (a) her department and (b) NISTA holds on the number of central government PFI contracts which necessitate the underlying asset remaining in the ownership of the PFI contractor at the end of the contract.

HM Treasury, which includes NISTA, publishes aggregate information on PFI and PF2 projects annually. In line with guidance, any arrangements which necessitate the underlying asset remaining in the ownership of the PFI contractor at the end of the contract would be the exception. Information on such cases is not collated centrally by HM Treasury.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026, to Question 105552, on Budget November 2025: Disclosure of Information, if she will publish the terms of reference to (a) the leak inquiry and (b) Permanent Secretary’s review into Budget security.

The scope of both a) the leak inquiry and b) the Permanent Secretary’s review will be set out when the outcomes of the Budget Information Security review are published, the aim of which is to conclude in advance of the Spring Statement on 3 March.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2025, to Question 98794, on Mission Boards, who the internal and external members are of the Growth Mission Board.

The Chancellor heads the Growth Mission Board. The membership is flexible, at the Chancellor's discretion, with internal and external attendees determined based on their relevance to the agenda. It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees - including mission boards - including their attendance, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly.

Whether (a) the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, (b) UK Financial Investments and (c) other Ministers were involved in the disposal of RBS Sempra Commodities to JP Morgan in the 2009-10 financial year.

Public records of HM Treasury ministerial meetings are available from May 2010 onwards. HM Treasury has also conducted a proportionate search of its archives for the relevant period and has found no evidence of correspondence or meetings between Jeffrey Epstein and Treasury ministers, or any Treasury officials, in relation to this sale, or on any other matter.

What the evidential basis is for the Office for Value for Money making almost £14 billion of annual efficiency gains by 2028-29 against planned day-to-day budgets for 2025-26.

The OVfM has supported departments to develop bespoke technical efficiency targets, underpinned by credible delivery plans. In total, the government identified efficiencies of almost £14 billion a year by 2028-29. The OVfM’s approach was guided by three principles, which together will deliver a sustainable outcome. First, it has placed greater focus on improving outcomes not just reducing costs. It has achieved this by clearly distinguishing between technical efficiencies (delivering more output for the same input, or the same output for less input) and stopping activities (reducing outputs). This is in line with the Government Efficiency Framework definition of a technical efficiency. Second, it has aimed to increase confidence in the deliverability of efficiencies, by working with departments to develop bespoke targets underpinned by credible plans. Third, it has supported greater transparency by publishing departments’ targets and plans, allowing external scrutiny and public accountability. Further detail on the basis for departments’ targets and plans can be found in the Departmental Efficiency Delivery Plans document published at Spending Review 2025: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-efficiency-delivery-plans.

Whether her Department has a target for the number of staff it plans to employ over the period of the Spending Review.

The Department’s SR settlement of a 10% real terms reduction to admin budgets by 2028-29 means HM Treasury will need to get smaller, necessitating a reduction in resource in some areas. Headcount reductions will be subject to future business planning where the department will take decisions on how the savings will be delivered.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2024 to Question 54793 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, what proportion of the costs will come from the (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office budgets.

The payments to Mauritius will be split between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Ministry of Defence. They will be published in the normal manner alongside other departmental spend in the annual accounts.

With reference to Minister for the Cabinet Office's Oral Statement of 24 June 2025 on the National Security Strategy, Official Report, columns 974-76, what estimate he has made of the proportion of GDP spent on broader resilience and security spending in the most recent period for which data is available.

The National Security Strategy 2025 was published on 24 June 2025. It confirms that by combining an increase in funding with recognition of the vital contribution the Single Intelligence Account plays to our national defence, the UK will spend 2.6% on NATO qualifying defence spending from 2027. This will be considered core spending.NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It will include investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.

Whether she plans to (a) amend and (b) review the definitions of (i) defence and (ii) national security spending, for the purposes of (A) statistical and (B) NATO targets.

NATO has a common definition of defence expenditure which is agreed by all NATO Allies. A full definition can be found here: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49198.htm