Contributions
1,533 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDGovernment Performance against Fiscal RulesI may have agreed with the first half of the noble Viscount’s question; I am not sure I agreed with the second half of it. But, absolutely, the best way to repair the public…08 Jul 2025HANSARDGovernment Performance against Fiscal RulesMy Lords, I will tell the noble Lord what matters in terms of controlling the public finances: economic growth, which his Government singularly failed on. Whether it was the Liz…08 Jul 2025HANSARDGovernment Performance against Fiscal RulesI do not think the public are getting bored of it. The noble and learned Lord may be getting bored of it, perhaps because he is slightly sensitive about it. If he thinks that 14…08 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxWhat is conducive is the most ambitious package ever to close the tax gap, raising £6.5 billion in additional tax revenue per year by 2029-30 and an additional £1 billion as a…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxMy Lords, the tax gap is estimated to be 5.3% of total theoretical tax liabilities. At the Budget last year, the Chancellor announced the most ambitious package ever to close the…07 Jul 2025HANSARDFinancial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities etc.) (Amendment) Order 2025I completely take what the noble Baroness says; my apologies for not covering that in my initial response. The intention with these specific measures is to be proportionate. That…07 Jul 2025HANSARDFinancial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities etc.) (Amendment) Order 2025My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Baroness for her comments and questions and for her support for these measures which, as she says, build on what the previous Government…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxNo. I am grateful to the noble Baroness for making me aware of the awareness week. She says that this is the central pillar of our strategy; it is one of them. Most importantly,…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxWe have committed an average of £660 million each year on measures to do so. By the end of the Parliament, that will raise an additional £5.7 billion per year. That is quite a…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxI am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. I know that he has been in touch with my colleague the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and has discussed having a meeting. I…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxI do not think the honours system is for me to comment on. The noble Lord will be pleased to know that we are taking the action I have already described, and we also intend to…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxYes, those discussions are ongoing.07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxAfter the measures we took in the Budget and the Spring Statement, no one could possibly say that we are not sufficiently resourcing the fight against the tax gap. As I said in my…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxI am grateful to my noble friend for her question. As part of the action we are taking to close the tax gap, HMRC is recruiting an additional 5,500 compliance officers by the end…07 Jul 2025HANSARDFinancial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities etc.) (Amendment) Order 2025My Lords, I begin by extending my thanks to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee for the detailed and thoughtful consideration of this draft order in its report published…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxIt is not for me to comment on individual tax affairs, but of course HMRC will treat every taxpayer fairly.07 Jul 2025HANSARDFinancial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities etc.) (Amendment) Order 2025That the Grand Committee do consider the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities etc.) (Amendment) Order 2025. Relevant document: 28th Report from the…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUK Infrastructure: 10-year StrategyI am grateful to my noble friend for his support for this. I am pleased to give him some good news as part of this, because I know he has spoken extensively about the use of PPPs…24 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Infrastructure: 10-year StrategyI am grateful to the noble Lord—I was going to say “my noble friend”—for his question. The fiscal rules are non-negotiable, as he will know. We have put them in place for exactly…24 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Infrastructure: 10-year StrategyWell, the noble Baroness might not expect me to agree with her on that; I think the more Treasury, the better, from my point of view. So, no, I disagree with her, but of course…24 Jun 2025