Every parliamentary written question tabled by Abtisam Mohamed this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–7 of 7 · Treasury
Pursuant the Answer of 11 September 2025 to Question 74808 on Universities: Research, if HM Treasury will carry out further analysis of productivity and economic growth gains.
HM Treasury regularly analyses the economic impacts of policy, including research funding for universities. For example, recent spending review decisions were underpinned by a range of evidence and analysis provided by government departments and external stakeholders.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a flat 20% tax on defined contribution pension funds collected by pension providers at the point of death.
Most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included within the value of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of university-based (a) research and (b) development activities on levels of UK (i) productivity and (ii) economic growth.
Evidence shows that every £1 of public R&D investment leverages around £2 of business R&D investment [1] and generates approximately £7 of net economic benefits in the long term [2]. Universities play a central role in the UK’s R&D ecosystem, receiving around half of the Government’s R&D funding [3]. Their impact is wide-ranging, from advancing scientific knowledge to commercialising innovation. For example, university spin-outs and start-ups – just one channel through which universities contribute to the economy - attracted £20.6 billion in investment between 2014 and 2022 [4]. [1] The relationship between public and private R&D funding | Oxford Economics[2] ‘Evidence on the balance and effectiveness of research and innovation spending’, written evidence submitted by UK Research and Innovation to the Science and Technology Select Committee, published November 2018[3] UK gross domestic expenditure on research and development[4] Intellectual property, start-ups and spin-outs | HESA
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of phasing out the exemption on customs duties that is allowed for parcels under £135.
The Government recognises that the increasing popularity of overseas retailers and use of the customs duty relief for imports valued below £135 has caused concern for some stakeholders.The purpose of the customs duty relief is to prevent disproportionate burdens on low-value trade, aiming to balance reducing burdens for consumers and businesses purchasing goods from overseas with the interests of UK businesses. VAT is charged on these goods at the same rate as it would be for domestic goods. We keep these issues under review.
Whether she plans to provide additional funding to local authorities to meet the increased costs of social care.
The government considered the cost pressures facing social care services and wider local government spending as part of phase one of the Spending Review process which concluded in October. The government is providing a real-terms uplift to core local government spending power of around 3.2% in 2025-26. This includes £1.3bn of new grant funding – £680 million of which is new grant funding to support social care. Future funding decisions will be considered in the usual way as part of the next phase of the Spending Review.
What steps her Department is taking to tackle tax avoidance in British Overseas Territories.
The Overseas Territories are an integral part of the British family, and the elected governments of inhabited Overseas Territories are responsible for many fiscal matters, including tax. The Overseas Territories have all made commitments to following the highest international tax standards, including the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) for the automatic exchange of information for tax purposes. The UK provides support to the Overseas Territories to implement those standards. The communiqué from the Joint Ministerial Council on 19 to 21 November included commitments to improving corporate transparency by completing plans to implement Accessible Registers of Beneficial Ownership. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-and-overseas-territories-joint-ministerial-council-2024-communique/b71f1ac8-d55c-44fb-b6a3-365f07a98689.
Whether she has had recent discussions with the International Monetary Fund on the Debt Sustainability Framework for Low Income Countries.
The UK is engaging with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the Debt Sustainability Framework for Low Income Countries (LIC-DSF) as part of the ongoing joint World Bank-IMF review of the Framework. We welcome the review, as it is an important exercise to ensure that the LIC-DSF remains fit for purpose in providing nuanced and balanced assessments of countries’ debt situations, and supporting sustainable management of debt.