Written questions by Campbell.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 May to Question 1112, if she will hold discussions with the National Wealth Fund to establish what level of financial support can be made available to assist inward investment into rural areas of Northern Ireland.

Awaiting answer.

If she will hold discussions with representatives of LINK on the roll out of banking hubs including villages and small towns in rural areas.

Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, the Government understands the importance of banking services to communities, including those in rural areas, and is working closely with industry to support the roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 275 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 235 are already open, including 7 in Northern Ireland. The Government engages regularly with LINK, the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network, as well as industry and the Financial Conduct Authority, on access to cash and banking services. Banking hub locations are independently recommended by LINK. When a bank branch closes, there is a material change to a cash service, or a community request is received, LINK conducts an access to cash assessment under the regime set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. This considers a range of factors including population demographics and transport links, with criteria reflecting differences between rural and urban areas. Any decisions on changes to LINK’s assessment criteria are a matter for LINK, the financial services sector and the Financial Conduct Authority, which oversees the regime. Customers can also access everyday banking services through the Post Office network, with over 10,000 branches providing services such as cash withdrawals and deposits, balance enquiries and bill payments. The Government keeps the effectiveness of access to cash and banking arrangements under review through ongoing engagement with industry, LINK and the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure they meet the needs of local communities. As such, on 14 May the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services to assess the impact of changes in the provision of in-person banking services. The evidence gathered will inform future decisions on whether further action is needed. Alongside this, the Government intends to include a power in forthcoming financial services legislation to enable it to act, if necessary, to protect access to banking services.

Whether the National Wealth Fund's promotion of rural broadband development in Northern Ireland will include financial support to inward investors.

The NWF invests on a commercial basis to address market gaps and crowd in private capital, including in digital and technologies. It has a dedicated director based in Northern Ireland to support its view of markets across the region and opened a Belfast office in December 2024. In April 2022 the National Wealth Fund, then the UK Infrastructure Bank, provided a £50 million loan to support Fibrus to deliver high-capacity broadband to rural homes and businesses across Northern Ireland. As of December 2025, this investment has helped Fibrus bring full fibre capability to over 330,000 homes across Northern Ireland.

What discussions she has had with the banking sector on the rollout of banking hubs beyond the lifetime of this Parliament.

Treasury Ministers regularly engage with the banking sector on access to banking services, including the rollout of banking hubs. The Government understands the importance of access to in-person banking services for communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Importantly, this number is a floor, not a ceiling, and Cash Access UK will deliver a banking hub wherever LINK has recommended one. The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with industry and other stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of people and communities.

Pursuant to WPQ 128052, whether she will maintain the free to use MTD software for taxpayers for the lifetime of this Parliament.

I refer the honourable member to the answer provided in the response to UIN 126551.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the circumstances whereby senior citizens receive the Winter Fuel Allowance then are ineligible for the payment due to their level of income.

The Government announced in June 2025 that the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility will benefit a wider range of pensioners in England and Wales from winter 2025. Winter Fuel Payments are paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out of getting a payment, to ensure timely support for those who need it.Individuals who are of State Pension age and have total income over £35,000 will have their Winter Fuel Payment recovered by HMRC through the tax system. Winter Fuel Payments are devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive have decided to mirror the recovery approach taken for England and Wales. The winter payment is automatically recovered by HMRC through PAYE for the vast majority of cases, or through their Self-Assessment return for the minority that pay tax that way. The amount recovered is equal to the full value of their payment. This approach applies across the UK, including in Northern Ireland.Anyone who expects their total income to exceed £35,000 can opt out of receiving future payments via GOV.UK, or through Social Security Scotland if they live in Scotland, and will not be subject to the charge. Opting out applies only to payments not yet made.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2026 to Question 126551, what steps she is taking to ensure that the merits of the HMRC approved software to the user are maintained for the remainder of this Parliament.

The Government has ensured a wide range of MTD-compatible software is available to support businesses of all budgets and sizes, and will continue to work closely with the software industry to ensure that Making Tax Digital (MTD) software meets the needs of taxpayers. Software providers must meet a clear set of criteria and Terms of Use for their products to be recognised as MTD-compatible. These include requirements on security, data protection and accessibility, as well as the ability to support core user journeys and portability of data. A taxpayer is not locked into a single MTD-compatible software product and can change provider at any time. As their business needs evolve over time, taxpayers may find alternative software becomes the most appropriate option for their circumstances. HMRC has published guidance to support taxpayers in finding the right software here: www.gov.uk/guidance/find-software-that-works-with-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax

If she will ensure that HMRC approved software required for sole traders to make returns under the Making Tax Digital framework remains at no cost to the user for the remainder of this Parliament.

The government has worked closely with the software industry to ensure the availability of a broad range of MTD-compatible products to suit different needs and budgets. This includes free products supporting those with the simplest affairs, low-cost bridging software for those who prefer to continue using spreadsheets and more sophisticated products that integrate with other business software. Currently, there are more than 15 free products (excluding free trials) covering a range of different scenarios including bookkeeping, quarterly updates and end-of-year submissions.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of new artificial intelligence models on the risk of financial market manipulation.

The Government’s ambition is to make the UK a global leader in AI. Encouraging safe adoption is an essential part of realising that ambition. We will continue to work closely with regulators and industry to ensure innovation proceeds safely and responsibly and that any risks to financial markets are identified and mitigated. In particular, the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying, monitoring and taking action to remove or reduce systemic risks to the UK financial system. The FPC’s April 2025 Financial Stability in Focus publication set out potential risks to financial stability that could result from increasing AI use, including in relation to market manipulation, and their response to these.

How many Credit Union Movement representative groups in Northern Ireland responded to the call for evidence on Credit Union Common Bond Reform proposals.

On 18 March, the government announced plans to reform the credit union common bond in Great Britain. Full details of the government’s plans have been published in a call for evidence response available on GOV.UK.The call for evidence only sought views on the common bond for credit unions in England, Wales, and Scotland. This is because responsibility for credit unions in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. The Northern Ireland Executive launched its own consultation in 2025 to gather views on proposed reforms to modernise and strengthen the credit union sector in Northern Ireland.The government is a strong supporter of the mutual sector, including credit unions, and is working to support its growth in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the co‑operative and mutual sector. In line with devolution arrangements, this includes legislating for reforms in Great Britain while continuing to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on credit union policy in Northern Ireland.

What assessment has been made of the potential benefits derived to Northern Ireland people and businesses from the Belfast Office operational since December 2024.

HM Treasury has not made a standalone assessment of the benefits of the HMRC Belfast office, but having an operational presence in Belfast supports access to HMRC services, engagement with local businesses and stakeholders, and the effective administration of the tax system in Northern Ireland.

Who she has had discussions with in the Northern Ireland Executive on the Credit Union Common Bond Reform Call for Evidence Response.

The call for evidence response on credit union common bond reform in Great Britain was published on 18 March 2026. The call for evidence itself ran from November 2024 to March 2025 and was open to all to submit responses. As credit union policy is devolved to Northern Ireland, the measures announced in the government’s response apply only to Great Britain. HM Treasury has kept the Northern Ireland Executive informed. The government has written to ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive to notify them of the legislative changes being taken forward in Great Britain. Treasury officials also engaged with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive during the call for evidence, and this engagement is continuing following publication of the response. These reforms will modernise the common bond framework, support the growth of the credit union sector, and help ensure that it can continue to deliver positive outcomes for members and communities across Great Britain.

If she will consider the potential merits of excluding hybrids cars from the Vehicle Excise Duty Expensive Car Supplement (a) after three years from the date of first registration and (b) when their resale value falls below £28,000.

The ECS applies to new petrol/diesel and hybrid cars with a list price of £40,000 or more, while as announced at Budget 2025, from 1 April 2026 the ECS will apply to new zero-emission cars with a list price of £50,000 or more which are first registered on or after 1 April 2025. The additional charge was introduced so that those who can afford to access the most expensive cars make a fair contribution. The Government continues to view the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) as a suitable way of distinguishing the more luxury end of the new car market. Although average list prices of cars have increased since the ECS was introduced, nearly two-thirds of petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles still fall below the £40,000 threshold. The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs, including Vehicle Excise Duty and the ECS, to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy.

How many (a) basic rate and (b) higher rate tax payers there were in December (i) 2021 and (ii) 2025.

This information is not available on a monthly basis and figures for December cannot be provided. The number of individuals in the Income Tax rate bands, Basic and Higher rate, for tax years 2021 to 2022 and 2025 to 2026 is published in HMRC’s accredited official statistics. Updated forecasts are published in the OBR’s March 2026 Economic and fiscal outlook. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685a6bb541d77db4f68eb0c4/Collated_Income_Tax_liabilities_statistics_tables_-_2.1_to_2.6.ods https://obr.uk/download/march-2026-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1772796009 Projected estimates for the 2025 to 2026 tax year in HMRC's statistics are based upon the 2022 to 2023 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR’s March 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2025 to 67306, what proportion of NWF's portfolio outside of London and the South-East is located in (a) the rest of England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

The National Wealth Fund (NWF) identifies investment opportunities across the UK and has dedicated directors in each of the four nations to support its view of markets across the country. Information on the geographic spread of NWF investments can be found in their 2025 Impact Report available on their website.

How much revenue was raised through business rates from charities operating commercial premises in the North East Combined Authority in 2024/25.

As Local Authorities are not required to report the business rates revenue they raise from different types of properties, the Government does not hold this data. More broadly, properties that are wholly or mainly used for a charitable purpose benefit from 80% business rates relief. Local Authorities can, at their discretion, top this up to 100% relief from business rates.

What assessment she has made of the impact of the Statement of Strategic Priorities for the National Wealth Fund in March 2025 on Northern Ireland.

The Strategic Plan sets out the National Wealth Fund’s ambition to accelerate place-based investment across all four nations of the UK. It has a dedicated director based in Northern Ireland, and opened a Belfast office in December 2024. The National Wealth Fund is already investing in Northern Ireland, for example in rural broadband development

When she expects to receive the report by the FCA into hidden commission costs connected with car purchase loan schemes.

The Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator, has consulted on proposals for a motor finance consumer redress scheme. The FCA has indicated that it will finalise the rules of the scheme by the end of March.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to WPQ 93664, whether any ongoing assessment is being made of the success of the take up campaign aimed at the 750,000 people who have not yet claimed their matured Child Trust Fund Savings Accounts.

The Government is committed to reuniting all young adults with their Child Trust Funds (CTF). HMRC works with CTF providers, industry representatives, and others to enable account owners to be aware of and trace their accounts. Regular HMRC press releases and messages on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are supplemented by targeted activities likely to appeal to the demographic. HMRC plans to expand its CTF communications by adding TikTok to its strategy, continuing work with UCAS, and maintaining regular social media activity. HMRC also provides a free tracing tool on Gov.uk to help people find their CTF provider (www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund) and has experienced a significant increase in its use this year.

What estimate her Department has made of the change in the number of people who will be tax payers as a result of the freezing of personal allowances between 2024 and 2029.

The number of people forecast to pay Income Tax by marginal rate can be found in Table 3.19 of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook – detailed forecast tables: receipts, linked below: https://obr.uk/download/november-2025-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1764165511 The previous Government made the decision to maintain income tax thresholds at their current levels from April 2021 until April 2028.