Commons
Oral Questions
Cabinet Office
10 September 2026
6 contributions
No. 10 North
No. 10 North will drive growth in every postcode of the country, working alongside mayors, council leaders and businesses from across Britain. The costs of setting up and running No. 10 North are covered by existing Cabinet Office budgets.
For me, as a north London MP, visiting Manchester is very much going north, but it is fantastic to go up there and meet local businesses when I do so. On the hon. Member’s specific question, the expenditure on No. 10 North will of course be published in the usual way, along with the Cabinet Office a…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
8 September 2026
Topical Questions
My hon. Friend is an expert on those matters and is totally right to point to the importance of looking at the demand side of the economy. The Chancellor and Prime Minister have focused on just that, for example, with the cut to VAT on electricity bills and the reinstatement of the £2 cap on bus far…
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
8 September 2026
5 contributions
Private Investment: Local Leaders
My hon. Friends are right to ask these critical questions, and I agree with them that private investment is critical to delivering good growth in every postcode. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have been clear that centralisation of power has led to too much of the country losing out on invest…
I fully agree with my hon. Friend that going forth and prospering is a very good objective, and I look forward to working with her and the local businesses in her constituency that she has raised with me, including Mantec and Goodwin. There are some fantastic ceramics and advanced manufacturing busi…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
1 September 2026
2 contributions
Sovereign Grant
I beg to move,
That—
(1) provision be made amending the Sovereign Grant Act 2011—
(a) to specify the amount of the Sovereign Grant for the financial year 2027-28;
(b) to specify the percentage of the income account net surplus of the Crown Estate to be used by the Royal Trustees to determine the…
I thank Members from across the House for their questions and for beginning the scrutiny that will take place, should the House agree that the Bill should be laid and for debate to proceed at Second Reading. Let me turn to some of the points that were raised.
The shadow Exchequer Secretary, hon. Me…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 July 2026
8 contributions
Northern Ireland Hospitality Sector
It is a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank the hon. Member for South Antrim (Robin Swann) for securing this debate on an important issue facing hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland and for his recent question to me in Treasury orals on the same topic. I look forwar…
rose—
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 July 2026
Employees Travelling Outside the UK: Expenses Rate
It is a pleasure to speak in this debate with you in the Chair, Sir Christopher. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Peter Lamb) for raising this important issue today and for the work that he and neighbouring MPs, on a cross-party basis, have been doing to highlight the concerns that the…
Commons
Debate
1 July 2026
3 contributions
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill
I will open this debate in Committee of the whole House by reminding the House—though I am sure Members know what is in this Bill—of the purpose of the Bill, which is to respond to increases in costs for families and businesses in the UK because of the conflict in the middle east. Even though we hav…
I thank the shadow Exchequer Secretary, the hon. Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild), and the hon. Member for St Albans (Daisy Cooper), for their scrutiny and attention to the measures contained in this short Bill. I am proud that, as the shadow Exchequer Secretary said, we removed three taxe…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
1 July 2026
3 contributions
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill
Today’s debate is progressing rapidly—so rapidly, in fact, that I am yet to turn to the speech in my folder. It is a privilege to close this rapid debate on behalf of the Government, and I thank Members for their contributions, as well as the Economic Secretary to the Treasury for opening the Govern…
No. If prices are slightly above the threshold set in the electricity generator levy, as they are at the moment, I believe, those taxes will be due now, from 1 July, whether or not businesses make decisions down the line after the consultation, after engagement and after the detail of the wholesale …
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
24 June 2026
6 contributions
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles)
I beg to move,
That provision may be made increasing the rate of the electricity generator levy to 55%.
The Chancellor has committed to doing what she can to support families and businesses to be responsive in a changing world and responsible in the national interest. The measures before the House assist the Government in that objective.
The way that the current energy system works means that househo…
+4 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
23 June 2026
3 contributions
Topical Questions
I thank my hon. Friend for his strong representation on behalf of his constituency and the important refining industry. I have seen the letter to the Chancellor that has been sent by colleagues and I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend and other interested Members.
I regret to inform the hon. Gentleman that that policy was implemented by his Government—[Interruption.] It was in 2023 that HMRC wrote to businesses that were not paying the VAT, unlike some others that were, and began the enforcement action—it started under his Government. However, I recognise the…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
23 June 2026
4 contributions
Business Rates
I am very busy today, Mr Speaker, as ever. I thank the hon. Member for asking about business rates. She will know that we have already started the work of reforming the business rates system so that we can put in permanently lower multipliers for high street businesses. As part of tax update day, we…
We have a tax on profits in the UK, which is corporation tax. In our corporate tax road map, we have committed to keeping that stable in this Parliament, rather than having it jump around as it did in the last one. It is important to have a broad tax base, so it is reasonable for business rates to c…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
23 June 2026
2 contributions
Temporary VAT Reduction for Hospitality: Northern Ireland
I thank the hon. Member for giving me another chance to talk about the great British summer savings scheme, which the Chancellor has just talked us through. It is fantastic that it is coming into place in just a couple of days’ time and will run until the end of the summer holidays. It extends acros…
I understand that the VAT rate in Northern Ireland is different from the rate in Ireland—there are different rates of VAT across Europe. It is important to remember that VAT is a national tax in the UK, at 20% across the country. It is important to have consistency for businesses operating across th…
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
23 June 2026
2 contributions
Loan Charge
The Government introduced legislation in the Finance Act 2026 to provide for a new settlement offer for those affected by the loan charge. The Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities, and that is in addition to the proposals put forward by the independent reviewer, Ray McCann.
I do agree that those who have been affected by the loan charge need to be able to move on with their lives. That is why the Government put forward a generous settlement offer at the last Budget that went further than the proposals set out by the independent reviewer. I would just note that it was a…
Commons
Statutory Instrument
23 June 2026
2 contributions
Draft Climate Change Agreements (Administration, Energy-intensive Installations and Eligible Facilities) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2026
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Climate Change Agreements (Administration, Energy-intensive Installations and Eligible Facilities) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2026.
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Wishart. The draft regulations expand the e…
As ever, I thank the shadow Exchequer Secretary and the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for their contributions and questions.
I agree with the shadow Exchequer Secretary that lengthy consultations can be a frustration—they are the bane of my life too. Of course, we need to make sure that we engage a…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2026
Rural Pubs: Fiscal Support
It is important to note that the article in The Telegraph on the changes for rural pubs was about the fact that we published, with full transparency, the guidance used to value pubs that was signed off under the previous Government. This Government are cutting pubs’ business rates by 15% this year, …
Commons
Statutory Instrument
17 June 2026
10 contributions
Customs (Tariff and Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2026
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the Customs (Tariff and Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2026 (S.I., 2026, No. 572).
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Barker. This is not my home turf; the Minister for Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda and…
Well, I didn’t quite say that.
+8 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
28 April 2026
2 contributions
Topical Questions
On business rates, the hon. Member will know that this Government inherited the plans that were set in train for an independent revaluation of properties to take place for the first time since the pandemic. It would not have been the right thing to do to delay that independent revaluation for those …
I am always happy to take questions on business rates, even months after the decision set out at the Budget, and I thank the hon. Member for reading out the Labour manifesto. We have made significant changes to business rates by introducing the new lower multiplier for high street businesses so that…
Commons
Oral Questions
28 April 2026
3 contributions
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure: Business Rates
The Government have introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion to protect rate payers across the country against the impact of the independently set new property values, whereby properties have been valued for the first time since the pandemic. We have also introduced permanently lower multipli…
Under the previous Government, the business rates multiplier—the tax rate—paid by medium-sized businesses and the very largest businesses was exactly the same. We have implemented significant reforms to the way businesses rates work so that the system supports the high street, and the tax rate paid …
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
28 April 2026
3 contributions
Business Property Relief: Family-owned Businesses
The reforms to business property relief maintain significant relief for owners of business assets. That is beyond what is available to others and is more generous than at any time under Margaret Thatcher, for example, when the rate of relief was a maximum of 50% on all business assets, including the…
I am glad that the hon. Gentleman acknowledges that while Margaret Thatcher was in power she was taxing such businesses through business property relief more than this Labour Government. We have a fair and balanced approach when it comes to making sure that we can raise revenues from the very larges…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
28 April 2026
8 contributions
Fuel Costs: Support for Motorists
The Government have already taken action on fuel affordability at the pump. In last year’s Budget they extended the 5p per litre cap for a further five months, and they have also cancelled the increase that would have otherwise taken place in line with inflation at the start of this financial year.
The Scottish National party has had ample opportunity in Scotland to invest in energy, to invest in energy infrastructure and to invest in the changes that we need in our economy to bring down energy bills, and when it comes to fuel duty— [Interruption.]
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Statutory Instrument
21 April 2026
3 contributions
Draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games) Regulations 2026
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Major Sporting Events (Income Tax Exemption) (Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games) Regulations 2026.
It is a pleasure to appear before you today, Sir Alec. The draft regulations provide an income tax exemption for non-UK resident competitors, …
I thank all Members for their contributions and questions. It is fantastic that the city of my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow East will host the Commonwealth games again. They were a great success for the country and for countries throughout the Commonwealth last time they were held in that grea…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
18 March 2026
5 contributions
Fuel Duty
indicated assent .
I thank hon. Members for their contributions throughout the debate. I thank the hon. Member for Mid Buckinghamshire (Greg Smith) in particular for his winding-up, as well as the Tory Whips for giving me the opportunity to remind the House of his support for Liz Truss as PM. My Parliamentary Private …
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
11 March 2026
16 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
I am glad to return to the Commons to debate the Finance Bill on Report. Although I am sure that it would have been of interest to Members on both sides of the House, I am also glad that we have not just had a set of two 45-minute debates on the Ways and Means motions. The opportunity was there, but…
+14 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
10 March 2026
5 contributions
Topical Questions
I thank my hon. Friend for his representations on this matter here today and over many months, and in Westminster Hall just a few weeks ago. The rural fuel duty relief scheme does provide that 5p discount and it will benefit his constituents on the islands and in the communities he represents. We wi…
I thank my hon. Friend for the question, and for the representation she has provided for her constituents and, through her work on the loan charge and taxpayer fairness all-party parliamentary group, for many across the country who have been affected by the loan charge. At the Budget, we made the de…
+3 more contributions in this session