Written questions by Dewhirst.

What assessment she has made of the potential economic impact of the increase in employers’ National Insurance Contributions on (a) fish and chip shops and (b) other small businesses.

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.

With reference to the CBI Economics' report entitled The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Changes to BPR and APR, published in March 2025, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report’s finding on the impact of changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief on (a) trends in level of economic growth and (b) fiscal policy.

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. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free. 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 (OBR) certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact. The OBR published information about the costing in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 30 October 2024. The OBR published more detail on the costings on 22 January 2025. This material is all available on the OBR’s website.

Whether appointments to the National Wealth Fund will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council; and whether the chair will be classified as a significant appointment.

All ministerial public appointments will follow the principles of the Governance Code on public appointments. There are no current plans to recruit a new Chair of the National Wealth Fund. The current recruitment round for a new CEO is exempt from the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments regulation as it is an executive position.

Whether some public sector pension schemes have a retire and return option.

It is possible for members of the main statutory Public Service Pension Schemes to return to public service employment after retiring and taking pension. The rules on further employment of individuals who are in receipt of relevant pension benefits are set out in scheme regulations for each of the workforces. Some Public Service Pension Schemes also allow for partial retirement, where a member can draw their accrued pension and continue working.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 24653 on Arms Length Bodies, which financial years Phase 2 savings apply to; whether those savings are from the RDEL budget; what the baseline is for those savings; and whether those savings are in addition to Phase 1 savings.

Phase 2 of the Spending Review covers financial years 2026/27 to 2028/29 on RDEL to 2029/2030 on CDEL, whilst Phase 1 covers 2025/26. Over Phase 2, a 5% minimum RDEL savings target has been set for all departments and arm’s-length bodies. This is in addition to the 2% productivity, efficiency, and savings target the government set departments in Phase 1 of the Spending Review. The outcomes of the Spending Review will be set out at its conclusion in June.

Pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2024, to Question 17676, on Ministers: Official Cars, if the Chancellor’s car travel arrangements are at public expense.

We do not comment on the specific arrangements in place for the Chancellor for security reasons.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 14108 on Arm’s Length Bodies, on what statutory basis Permanent Secretaries rather than Ministers approve framework agreements.

Permanent Secretaries are appointed as Accounting Officers for their departments by the Treasury under section 5 of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000. They are directly responsible to Parliament for ensuring that their department's use of public resources are regular and in line with parliamentary expectations. This includes compliance with the wider framework of authorities, which include the various rules and guidance set out in Managing Public Money. As part of these requirements, Accounting Officers are required to have appropriate structures and systems in place to ensure effective governance of the public bodies that they sponsor. These include the Accounting Officer System Statement, and the need for a framework document for each public body sponsored. As such, in general, the requirement for a framework document is not statutory, but does form part of the Accounting Officer’s duties, meaning that the Accounting Officer is responsible for ensuring that a framework document is in place. Framework documents, while not legal documents, set out the terms of the relationship between the arms-length body and the sponsor, including the sponsorship processes by which public bodies align with and deliver on public policy objectives set by Ministers and, in some cases, legislation. They codify a combination of policy decisions made by ministers, parliamentary expectations and general principles of good governance. The processes for approval are not set out in statute, and can vary from department to department, and from arms-length body to arms-length body.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2024 to Question 9057 on Treasury: Minister’s Private Offices, what was spent on each item.

The below table shows the costs incurred. Instillation of an exhibition in No. 11 Downing Street from the National Maritime Museum.£2,155Office furniture and fittings£160Maintenance£330

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the non-domiciled tax regime on the number of non-domiciled people who will relocate to other European countries.

The Government’s priority is improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. The reforms to the tax treatment of non-domiciled individuals have been specifically designed to make the UK competitive, with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair. The reforms establish a tax regime for new residents which is more attractive to new arrivals than the current rules. The OBR have certified that the non-dom reforms the Government is legislating will raise £33.8bn in total revenue over the five-year forecast period. Evidence from the 2017 reforms shows that the vast majority of former non-doms who became liable for tax on their worldwide income and gains remained UK resident and continued to contribute to the UK economy. The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Note for this policy on 30 October. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-changes-for-non-uk-domiciled-individuals/reforming-the-taxation-of-non-uk-domiciled-individuals.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief on the profitability of farming businesses.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. It is expected that up to around 2,000 estates will be affected by the changes to APR and BPR in 2026-27, with around half of those being claims that involve AIM shares. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) are expected to be unaffected by these reforms. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

Whether she has had discussions with her Australian counterpart on the impact of excise tax for tobacco products on (a) consumer and (b) organised crime group behaviour.

No discussions have taken place with Australian ministers on these issues.

Whether she has been provided use of a vehicle for official Ministerial travel from outside the Government Car Service.

We do not comment on the specific arrangements in place for the Chancellor because of security.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of mitigations from proposed changes to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief for farmers over 70 years old.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. It is expected that up to around 2,000 estates will be affected in 2026-27 by the changes to APR and BPR, with around half of those being claims that involve AIM shares. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) are expected to be unaffected by these reforms.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Tax changes for non-UK domiciled individuals, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the non-domiciled tax regime on the UK's global competitiveness as a financial hub.

The Government is committed to improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. This reform has been specifically designed to make the UK competitive with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair. It establishes a tax regime for new residents, which is more attractive to new arrivals than the current rules. The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Note for this policy on 30 October. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-changes-for-non-uk-domiciled-individuals/reforming-the-taxation-of-non-uk-domiciled-individuals.

How much Government departments have spent on procurement relating to both goods and services in total in the most recent year for which figures are available.

The Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) that were published in July 2024 shows budget aggregates and spending for 5 years of outturn and one plan year up to 2024-25. Chapter 2 of PESA includes several tables that show departmental budgets broken down by economic category. Table 2.2 for example shows totals for ‘Gross current procurement in budgets’ whilst table 2.3 shows totals for ‘Gross capital procurement in budgets’. Here is a link to the PESA 2024 dataset:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/public-expenditure-statistical-analyses-2024 The Public Spending Statistics (PSS) dataset was also published in July 2024 is similar to PESA but only covers the five years of outturn up to 2023-24. Included within the July 2024 PSS dataset is a database and associated pivot table in Excel format. From the pivot table it is possible to obtain the gross current and capital procurement totals as seen in tables 2.2 and 2.3 broken down by department group. Here is a link to the July 2024 PSS dataset:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/public-spending-statistics-release-july-2024

If she will place in the House of Commons Library a copy of each (a) equality assessment and (b) environmental principles assessment released by her Department under the (i) Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (ii) Environmental Information Regulations since 4 July 2024, redacting the name of individual applicants.

Since 4 July 2024, HM Treasury has released two impact assessments in response to Freedom of Information requests. The first, on targeting the Winter Fuel Allowance is available publicly on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responses-to-freedom-of-information-requests-on-equality-impact-assessments-produced-for-targeting-winter-fuel-payment. The second, on removing the temporary £20-per-week uplift for Universal Credit during the Covid-19 pandemic March 2020 has been provided to the House of Lords library.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13512 on Employers’ Contributions: Public Sector, if she will publish a list of each public body within the public sector boundary for the purpose of compensation for the National Insurance rise in the Autumn Budget 2024.

The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.This is in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.The Government plans to update Parliament on allocations by department in the usual way as soon as possible.

How many meetings Kamella Hudson attended with her Department since 5 July 2024.

All meetings held by Ministers are published on a quarterly basis on gov.uk. Any meetings held between July and September will be published in late December here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

With reference to the Register Of Interests Of Members' Secretaries And Research Assistants, published on 11 October 2024, whether Nicholas Garland (a) attends meetings in her Department and (b) has provided policy advice in relation to her Ministerial responsibilities.

Nicholas Garland is not a Special Adviser to the Chancellor or a Civil Servant and therefore does not attend meetings or provide policy advice to the Chancellor in this capacity.

If she will list each of the business attendees who accompanied Arden Strategies at her Department's roundtable on 17 September 2024.

The Government engaged with a number of different businesses and trade bodies in the run up to the International Investment Summit to help coordinate meetings with key investors as part of the usual course of business. It also has an ongoing business engagement programme run by officials. All external meetings between senior officials at Permanent Secretary and Director General are published on gov.uk in the usual way as part of the department’s quarterly transparency return.