Written questions by Holden.

How many exemptions have been approved for Permanent Secretary remuneration to exceed the band maximum since 4 July 2024.

Since 4th July 2024, two Permanent Secretary roles have been approved to exceed the Permanent Secretary pay band.

What information her Department holds on who the members are of the Royal Mint (a) sub-committee on the selection of themes and (b) advisory committee.

The Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC) is an advisory non-departmental public body that advises the Chancellor of the Exchequer (in her capacity as Master of the Royal Mint) and HM The King on matters of design with respect to circulating and commemorative coins. RMAC exists to promote numismatic (i.e. the study of coins) and – more broadly - medallic art in the UK, ensuring designs meet high standards of decency and good taste. Non-executive members of the Committee are unremunerated Crown appointments. RMAC typically comprises four Royal Mint executive members, seven non-executive members including the current Chair, Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston, a representative from HM Treasury and experts in art, design, heraldry, typography, sculpture, history and numismatics. Currently the RMAC comprises of three non-executive members and nine executive members; more information can be found on the Royal Mint Museum's website: Royal Mint Advisory Committee. RMAC’s Sub-Commitee on the Selection of Themes, chaired by Baroness Stuart, brings together at least two non-executive members of RMAC alongside a representative from HM Treasury and The Royal Mint to examine proposed themes for future commemorative and circulating coins, making recommendations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. HM Treasury is currently running a public appointments campaign to appoint four non-executive members to RMAC: a generalist, artist, art historian and lettering expert. Confirmation of these appointments will be made in the autumn.

Whether her Department is (a) (i) represented on and (ii) consulted by and (b) able to veto the decisions of the Bank of England's Banknote Character Advisory Committee.

The roles and responsibilities for the production and issuance of banknotes are detailed in the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1954 and the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on the financial relationship between HM Treasury and the Bank of England. The Bank of England is responsible for all aspects of the design, production, and issuance of banknotes, including the selection of characters, design features, and security measures. The Bank of England is required to seek HM Treasury approval only for the introduction of new denominations, as set out in section 1(1) of the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1954 and Section 9C of the Memorandum of Understanding. The Bank of England may keep HM Treasury informed of developments on a non-statutory, informal basis, but there is no requirement for consultation with HM Treasury on matters of design or character selection. As a consequence, HM Treasury is not represented on the Bank of England’s Banknote Character Advisory Committee. The 2025 Memorandum of Understanding can be found here:Financial relationship between HM Treasury and the Bank of England Memorandum of Understanding

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44962 on Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness, whether the 2025-26 baseline for the 15% saving in administration budgets includes departmental efficiency savings announced in July 2024.

The savings and efficiencies announced in July 2024 helped to address spending pressures identified through the public spending audit. These included a 2% savings against government administration budgets.In the Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced that all departments would be expected to make a 15% reduction in their administration budgets by 2029-30. This used 2025-26 budgets as published at Autumn Budget 24 as the baseline, which included in-year changes, for example employers’ National Insurance Contributions.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 May 2025 to Question 47820 on Office for Value for Money: Aviation, if she will make it her policy to instruct the Office for Value for Money to undertake an assessment into the value for money of Ministers’ use of non-scheduled flights.

At the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor tasked the Office for Value for Money with supporting Value for Money (VfM) decisions as part of the spending review, including supporting departments to develop efficiency targets underpinned by credible delivery plans, scrutinising investment proposals and conducting studies into cross-cutting issues where there is a high-risk of poor VfM. The OVfM will also recommend reforms to the spending framework. The OVfM’s remit has not changed.

With reference to the document entitled HM Treasury: Ministers' Hospitality - February 2025, published 25 April 2025, whether the Economic Secretary to the Treasury discussed the (a) foreign influence registration scheme and (b) China with TheCityUK on 6 February 2025.

I attended TheCityUK’s annual dinner on 6 February 2025. Each year, a minister and/or regulator addresses the dinner. Speakers in previous years have included the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Governor of the Bank of England, and numerous Economic Secretaries to the TreasuryI delivered a speech highlighting the important role of the financial services sector in delivering growth and setting out the Government's vision for the sector's future development and continued global leadershipThe foreign Influence Registration Scheme or China was not discussed.

What (a) gifts and (b) hospitality she has (i) accepted and (ii) reimbursed the donor for since 4 July 2024.

The Cabinet Office publish a monthly register of Ministers’ gifts and hospitality. These returns, including the Chancellor’s, can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality

With reference to the publication HM Treasury: Ministers' Hospitality February 2025, published on 25 April 2025, if she will list the Global Counsel representatives she met on 19 February 2025.

The Cabinet Office publish a monthly register of the hospitality that Ministers have received, which can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality It should be noted, however, that the Cabinet Office state in their guidance that the names of individuals should only be reported where the individuals are representing their own interests, with the exception of Senior Media Figures.

With reference to the document entitled HM Treasury: Ministers’ Hospitality - January 2025, published on 27 February 2025, whether the she discussed the foreign influence registration scheme in relation to China with (a) the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and (b) HBSC on 11 and 12 January 2025.

The Chancellor did not discuss the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme with HSBC or the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade during the lunch and dinner referred to in the HM Treasury: Ministers’ Hospitality - January 2025, published on 27 February 2025.

How many staff by headcount are currently assigned to the Office for Value for Money; and what is the annual budget for the business unit.

The Office for Value for Money is a small, time-limited organisation based in HM Treasury. In addition to its independent Chair, the OVfM comprises a team of c.15 officials, including secondees from the National Audit Office (NAO), the Government Commercial Function, and the Evaluation Task Force. Its budget will be published and outturn data will be made available with HM Treasury’s Annual Report and Accounts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 11277on Treasury: USA, whether the flights for that journey were carbon offset; and at what cost.

Carbon emissions, including for flight travel, will be published later in the year in the Sustainability Report section of HM Treasury 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts. This will be published at the following link. HMT annual report and accounts - GOV.UK

What diversity network time is available to staff at HM Revenue and Customs.

I refer the Right Hon. Member to the answer given by Lord Spencer Livermore in HL1114 which references the diversity network time available to staff at HM Revenue and Customs.

Whether the Office for Value for Money has made an assessment of the use of non-scheduled flights for foreign travel.

The Office for Value for Money has an immediate focus on supporting value for money decisions surrounding the spending review, including developing efficiency targets and plans, scrutinising investment proposals and conducting VfM studies. It will also recommend system reforms. Non-scheduled flights for foreign travel do not currently fall within the remit of the OVfM.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32970 on Government Departments: Consultants, if she will list the outturn figures for the spending on consultancy in each of the financial years from 2017-18 to 2022-23.

Outturn figures for consultancy spending from the government’s Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting II (OSCAR II) are contained within datasets that are published as part of the OSCAR Annual Release. For financial years 2019-20 to 2022-23, these can be accessed via the November 2024 OSCAR annual release here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oscar-ii-publishing-raw-data-from-the-database For financial year 2018-19, these can be accessed via the November 2023 OSCAR annual release here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oscar-ii-publishing-raw-data-from-the-database For financial year 2017-18, these can be accessed via the November 2021 OSCAR annual release here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oscar-annual-release-november-2021 In compiling the baseline referenced in Question 32970, the estimate was calculated to exclude consultancy spending in previous years by the Devolved Governments, as they are responsible for their own consultancy budgets. Spending data is taken from the chart of accounts name “EXP – PURCHASE OF GOODS/SERVICES – CONSULTANCY”.

What guidance (a) her Department and (b) HM Revenue and Customs has produced on income tax liability where employees claim expenses for personal gifts (i) with and (ii) without the employer’s knowledge of that gift.

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 received by employees 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 No tax relief is available for the purchase of personal gifts by employees under the normal rules for employment expenses, HMRC guidance can be found at https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim31630

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31991 on Public Expenditure, what definition her Department uses of (a) a saving and (b) efficiency for the purpose of the 5% target; and whether cancelling programme spend is classified as a saving.

The Government uses the Government Efficiency Framework to distinguish between efficiencies and savings.The cancellation of a programme would classify as a saving.

Whether Mitie is eligible for additional funding through Government contracts for the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions.

Allocation of employers’ National Insurance contributions support funding is administrated in line with the method used under the Health and Social Care levy.This funding has been allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way. It is down to individual departments on how to use that support funding in mitigating their increased employers’ National Insurance contributions costs.The Government plans to publish individual departments’ allocations as part of Mains estimates.

Whether (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers from her Department (i) met and (ii) took hospitality from senior executives from TikTok at the Labour Party Conference in 2024.

Both Ministers and special advisers are required to regularly publish information on the meetings that they have taken and the hospitality that they have received. These publications can be found on gov.uk.