Every parliamentary written question tabled by Esther McVey this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 28 · Treasury
What methodology was used to estimate the £10.9 billion of fraud and error in Covid-19 support schemes; whether the estimate includes unidentified fraud; and what estimate the Public Sector Fraud Authority has made of the upper range of total losses.
Awaiting answer.
Whether HM Treasury has produced, commissioned or received an estimate of the total amount lost through fraud and error across Covid-19 support schemes that exceeds the published estimate of £10.9 billion.
Awaiting answer.
How much money that is owed to HMRC by a) businesses and b) taxpayers has not been collected as a percentage over the previous five years.
Awaiting answer.
How much money is owed by a) businesses and b) taxpayers to HMRC i) this financial year, and ii) in the previous financial year, and when that money is expected to be paid back.
Awaiting answer.
For what reason the FCA allows banks to close down business bank accounts.
Generally speaking, it is economically beneficial for banks to provide business bank accounts, as this provides an important source of funding for their activities, such as funding their costs in relation to providing mortgages, consumer and business cred...
If she will ensure the FCA reviews every business bank account closure before it is allowed to proceed.
Generally speaking, it is economically beneficial for banks to provide business bank accounts, as this provides an important source of funding for their activities, such as funding their costs in relation to providing mortgages, consumer and business cred...
If she will ensure the FCA reports on the number of businesses which close down each year due to a lack of banking facility, broken down by sector.
Generally speaking, it is economically beneficial for banks to provide business bank accounts, as this provides an important source of funding for their activities, such as funding their costs in relation to providing mortgages, consumer and business cred...
What estimate she has made of the number of businesses who had a bank account closed in each of the last 5 years by reason for closure.
Generally speaking, it is economically beneficial for banks to provide business bank accounts, as this provides an important source of funding for their activities, such as funding their costs in relation to providing mortgages, consumer and business cred...
How many business bank accounts each bank regulated by the FCA closed down in each of the last three years.
Generally speaking, it is economically beneficial for banks to provide business bank accounts, as this provides an important source of funding for their activities, such as funding their costs in relation to providing mortgages, consumer and business cred...
How many times her Department has responded to a written parliamentary question saying that the information is not held in 2026.
The information requested can be found at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk.
What estimate her Department has made of the increased cost to businesses as a result of the expansion of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), including directly through paying the increased SDIL and indirectly through the demand of product reformulation.
The changes to SDIL announced at Budget 2025 were confirmed following extensive industry engagement through the ‘Strengthening the Soft Drinks Industry Levy’ consultation, which was open from 28 April to 21 July 2025. Representations from businesses, and the trade bodies representing them, were received and considered as part of this process. On 25 November 2025, the government published its summary of responses to the consultation. An assessment of impacts – including economic impacts for businesses – of the announced policy changes can be found within the Summary of Responses document here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-soft-drinks-industry-levy/outcome/strengthening-the-soft-drinks-industry-levy-summary-of-responses#assessment-of-impacts
Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2025 to Question 98773 on VAT: Repayments, how many of the (a) VAT repayment returns, (b) complaints received relating to VAT repayments and (c) complaints received directly relating to VAT refund delays were under the value of £1,000.
Between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC processed around 600,000 VAT repayment returns that were under £1,000 in value. HMRC are unable to confirm how many of the 162 and 119 complaints referenced in PQ answer 98773 relate to VAT refunds which are under the value of £1,000, as establishing this would exceed the cost threshold for answering parliamentary questions.
How many complaints HMRC have received in the last 6 months about VAT refunds to businesses because the refund was a) not received and b) delayed.
Between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC processed around 1.4 million VAT repayment returns, with around 93% paid promptly following initial risking.Based on the information held on HMRC’s complaints database, between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC received 162 complaints relating to VAT repayments of which 119 were directly linked to VAT refund delays.
How many VAT refunds to businesses in the last six months a) have not been refunded and b) have been delayed.
Between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC processed around 1.4 million VAT repayment returns, with around 93% paid promptly following initial risking.Based on the information held on HMRC’s complaints database, between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC received 162 complaints relating to VAT repayments of which 119 were directly linked to VAT refund delays.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of continued fuel duty freezes on (a0 supporting economic growth and (b) supply chain stability in the North West.
At Budget 2025, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut until the end of August 2026. Rates will then gradually return to previous levels. The planned increase in line with inflation for 2026-27 will not take place, with the government uprating fuel duty rates by RPI from April 2027. This will save the average car driver £49 next year compared to previous plans. The Government considers the impact of fuel duty on the economy, including households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.
If she will take steps to ensure that HMRC does not impose (a) penalties and (b) interest on (i) people and (ii) businesses who make inadvertent errors on their tax returns.
Financial penalties encourage taxpayers to comply with their obligations and act as a sanction for those who fail to comply. HMRC recognises that people may make inadvertent errors and does not charge a penalty provided the customer has not failed to take reasonable care in completing their return. If a penalty for an inaccuracy is charged by HMRC, a person can also appeal against our decision to impose a penalty. Interest is only applied to any outstanding liability. If a corrected error shows no outstanding amount, no interest will be charged.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposals for a Remote Betting & Gaming Duty on (a) levels of investment in the UK, (b) consumer costs and (c) levels of illegal gambling.
The Government is consulting on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one. The Government welcomes views from stakeholders, as part of the consultation process. No final policy decisions have been made. If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, they will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts, including to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. DCMS works closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with powers to move quickly and effectively to take down illegal gambling websites.
How many staff network events took place in her Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
3 events were held by the Treasury’s staff networks in May 2025.Treasury History Network held 2 sessions of “Wars, fires and pandemics: how events shaped our buildings”.The Ethnic Diversity Network hosted “Inclusivity within national security and demystifying the DV process”.
Whether her Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
HM Treasury is working with Government People Group in the Cabinet Office to understand the revised model policies and will implement required changes accordingly.
What modelling her Department has carried out on the potential merits of a clawback mechanism for proposed changes to (a) agricultural property relief and (b) business property relief.
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. 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. A “clawback” would mean inheritance tax would only be due if the relevant assets are sold within a specified time period after a death. Introducing this mechanism, as some have suggested, could mean some of the wealthiest estates pay less inheritance tax compared to the proposed reforms. The Government disagrees with suggestions that a clawback would raise the same revenue as the reforms being introduced from 6 April 2026; it would raise much less, which would mean raising taxes elsewhere or lowering public spending. It would also add complexity to the tax system and continue to attract the very wealthiest to tax plan since beneficiaries could hold onto the assets over the specified clawback period just to escape the tax. In accordance with standard practice, the Government does not publish internal modelling of alternative tax proposals that are not Government policy.