Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 192 · Treasury
Whether the Valuation Office Agency's guidance entitled Practice Note 3: 2023: Major International and Regional Airports has been updated for the (a) 2026 business rates revaluation and (b) phasing out of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic.
The Valuation Office Agency's guidance will be updated for the 2026 revaluation and will be published when the Rating List is compiled on 1 April 2026.
What consultation her Department has undertaken with vehicle manufacturers and the wider automotive industry on the proposed changes to Employee Car Ownership Schemes, including the number of meetings held since July 2024; and whether the figures used to inform the proposed changes have been independently verified.
At Budget 2025, the government announced that, to allow more time for the sector to prepare for and adapt to the proposed changes in treatment to Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS), its implementation will be delayed to 6 April 2030, with transitional arrangements until April 2032. The tax impact and information notice (TIIN) has been updated to reflect the impact of the changes on the automotive industry. You can find the TIIN here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-employee-car-ownership-schemes-for-income-tax/changes-to-employee-car-ownership-schemes-ecos The government maintains regular engagement with vehicle manufacturers and the wider automotive industry. The costing has been certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Whether she plans to extend full expensing to leased assets to support small and medium-sized transport businesses that lease vehicles.
The UK has one of the most generous and competitive capital allowances regimes in the world and is top of the rankings of OECD countries for plant and machinery capital allowances.The Annual Investment Allowance allows both incorporated and unincorporated businesses to deduct the entire cost of investment in both main and special rate assets in one go, up to £1 million per year, including assets bought for leasing or hiring.
Whether her Department was involved in the development of the Electric Car Grant.
Government policy is developed and agreed through the collective agreement process, with His Majesty’s Treasury responsible for scrutinising public spending to ensure value for money.
Pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 85352 on Airports: Business Rates, whether the Valuation Office Agency has received any (a) formal challenges and (b) appeals from airports on their rateable values.
The Valuation Office Agency has not received any formal challenges or appeals from airports on their rateable values for the 2026 Rating List, as it is not yet live. The VOA cannot confirm details for the 2023 list because the numbers are too small and disclosure would breach confidentiality under legislation.
What estimate she has made of the potential impact of an increase in fuel duty on (a) GDP and (b) employment levels in the (i) road haulage and (ii) logistics sectors.
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government considers the impact of fuel duty on the economy, including households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.
Pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85347 on Company Cars: Taxation, what estimate her Department has made of the revenue to be raised from changes to benefit in kind taxation for vehicles provided through such schemes, and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those changes on the employee car ownership industry.
At Autumn Budget 2024, the proposed changes to Employee Car Ownership Schemes were estimated to raise £875m across the scorecard. This costing and the tax impact and information note will be updated at a future fiscal event to reflect the six-month delay to the originally announced implementation date.
If she will take steps to ensure that (a) charities, (b) churches, (c) voluntary organisations and (d) community groups are able to deposit cash into bank accounts via the Post Office without the need for (i) trustees and (ii) volunteers to hold debit cards on the organisation's account.
The Government recognises the importance of cash, understanding that it continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including charities, churches, voluntary organisations and community groups to support communities across the UK, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses The Post Office plays a key role in supporting access to banking services. Under the Banking Framework, a commercial agreement between the Post Office and 30 banking firms, personal and business customers can withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK. The FCA has previously worked with the Post Office, banks, and the National Economic Crime Center to improve controls on cash deposits at the Post Office, in order to minimise financial crime risks. The FCA set out its expectations for transaction verification when making cash deposits, including use of cards, whilst seeking to limit the unintended consequences and ensuring additional measures did not disproportionately impact legitimate customers. This is a matter for the FCA as an independent regulator.
How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.
The Treasury occupy three sites: Horse Guards Road in London, Feethams House in Darlington, and Rosebery Court in Norwich. These premises are managed by the Government Property Agency, who have responsibility for the facilities management across all locations. The Treasury does not own any vehicles. Information relating to arms-length-bodies is not held centrally.
Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82997 on the Restoring Your Railway Fund, whether the audit was independently reviewed by (a) the Office for Budget Responsibility and (b) another external body.
In July 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer instructed HM Treasury officials to undertake an audit of public spending. The audit’s findings showed a forecast overspend on departmental spending of £21.9 billion above the totals that had been set at Spring Budget 2024. Taking immediate action to respond to the spending pressure, the government cancelled unfunded policy announcements made by the previous government, including the Restoring Your Railway programme. The full Spending Audit summary can be found on GOV.UK. The OBR conducted a review into the Spring Budget 2024 forecast which is available on their website, setting out that if the OBR had been aware of the scale of pressures at the time, they would have reached a “materially different judgement about...spending in 2024-2025”
With reference to her comments at at the JP Morgan Tech Stars conference on 7 October 2025, which development she was referring to in the context of the developer with which she had a good relationship.
The government has been clear in its commitment to get Britain building.Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hm-treasury-ministerial-overseas-travel-and-meetings
With reference to her comments at at the JP Morgan Tech Stars conference on 7 October 2025, with whom at the developer she had a good relationship.
The government has been clear in its commitment to get Britain building.Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hm-treasury-ministerial-overseas-travel-and-meetings
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of existing rates of gaming duty on the land-based bingo sector in the context of (a) the pandemic and (b) trends in operating costs.
No formal assessment has been made. Bingo Duty is charged at 10% of a Bingo Hall’s Gross Gaming Yield and is the second lowest rate of the seven gambling duties.The Government keeps all taxes under review, and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 82402 on Airports: Business Rates, what the rateable value is of each airport that may be uprated; what the proposed revaluation from the Valuation Office Agency is for each airport; and which airports the Valuation Office Agency is receiving ongoing representations relating to.
Due to legislation protecting taxpayer confidentiality, the VOA is unable to disclose information about individual ratepayers or properties; this also includes proposed rateable values. The VOA are currently working on a revaluation of all non-domestic properties. This will come into effect on 1 April 2026, with draft valuations published by the end of this year. The VOA have been engaging with representatives from the airports industry, including all civil airports in England and Wales, and held discussions with Airports UK.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to benefit in kind taxation for vehicles provided through Employee Car Ownership Schemes on retired scheme participants; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a (a) grandfathering provision and (b) exemption for existing retirees to avoid retrospective taxation.
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government announced plans to change the legislation around Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS), to prevent them being used by employers to circumvent the employee company car tax (CCT) liability and the employer NICs liability. Private use of a company car is a valuable benefit to an employee, and it is right that CCT is paid on it, ensuring fairness with other taxpayers. On 21 July 2025, the Government published draft legislation to ensure employees receiving vehicles through these arrangements pay CCT. In response to industry feedback, the changes will now take effect from October 2026 rather than April 2026 as originally announced. The Government is considering feedback received as part of the technical consultation.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65386 on VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles, if she will publish the Government’s response to the consultation referred to in that Answer.
The Government continues to take the issue of VAT treatment of private hire vehicle services seriously and recognises the importance of clarity to the sector. The Government will therefore publish a response to the consultation on the VAT treatment of private hire vehicles soon.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of nationalising the rail network on the Government's (a) balance sheet, (b) debt and (c) future liabilities in each of the next ten years.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) are responsible for classification decisions and measurement of public debt. Both publicly and privately owned DfT-contracted train operating companies are already included in the public sector, classified currently by the ONS as public non-financial corporations. Network Rail is also already classified to central government. HM Treasury and Department for Transport officials will assist the ONS in this work as required.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of a national road-user charging system on (a) data-protection and (b) costs in administration.
Fuel duty is projected to raise £24.4bn in 2025/26 and will remain in place. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The Chancellor meets with her Ministerial colleagues on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. The Government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact pay-per-mile road pricing on (a) rural motorists, (b) low-income drivers and (c) small businesses.
Fuel duty is projected to raise £24.4bn in 2025/26 and will remain in place. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The Chancellor meets with her Ministerial colleagues on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. The Government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events.
Whether she has (a) undertaken work, (b) commissioned research and (c) had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on (i) revenue modelling and (ii) impact assessments on potential options for replacing Fuel Duty with (A) distance-based and (B) pay-per-mile road pricing since July 2024.
Fuel duty is projected to raise £24.4bn in 2025/26 and will remain in place. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The Chancellor meets with her Ministerial colleagues on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues. The Government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events.