The Treasury does not record information relating to the allocation of staff time to specific tasks such as opposition costings. However, all work undertaken by HM Treasury staff (or officials from other departments) on opposition costings was completed in line with the guidance on \u2018Costing the policies of Opposition parties\u2019 set out in the Directory of Civil Service Guidance. Final versions of the costing documents produced by Civil Servants have also been published online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opposition-policy-costings-2024.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4850", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Davies"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Davies"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-23T16:53:36.383Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Treasury: Opposition"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many hours have been spent by his Department's staff on costing the policies of HM Opposition since 1 January 2024.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4603", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Edgbaston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Preet Kaur Gill"} ], "uin" : "27121"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719234", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719234/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Treasury does not routinely record information relating to the allocation of individual members of staff to specific tasks such as opposition costings. However, all work undertaken by HM Treasury officials (or officials from other departments) on opposition costings was completed in line with the guidance on \u2018Costing the policies of Opposition parties\u2019 set out in the Directory of Civil Service Guidanc<\/em>e. Final versions of the costing documents produced by Civil Servants have been published online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opposition-policy-costings-2024<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4850", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Davies"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Davies"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-23T16:52:08.393Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Treasury: Opposition"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in his Department have been involved with costing the policies of HM Opposition.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4603", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Preet Kaur Gill"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Edgbaston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Preet Kaur Gill"}
], "uin" : "27122"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719249", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719249/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4850", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Davies"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Davies"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-24T08:18:51.563Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Treasury: Redundancy Pay"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any ministerial redundancy payments have been repaid to their Department since 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4418", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Justin Madders"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ellesmere Port and Neston"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Justin Madders"}
], "uin" : "27094"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719293", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719293/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK Infrastructure Bank is an operationally independent arms-length body. Civil Service EDI expenditure guidance does not extend to organisations outside the Civil Service or ALBs not employing Civil Servants.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4850", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Davies"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Davies"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-23T16:44:59.93Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Infrastructure Bank: Constellia Public"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when the UK Infrastructure Bank is expected to cancel its contract with Constellia Public Ltd, procurement reference CO313; and whether a notice period will be required under the provisions of that contract.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"}
], "uin" : "26991"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719320", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719320/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government has audited the cost-effectiveness of all equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) activities, through the review of EDI spending announced last June.<\/p> On 14th May the Minister without Portfolio made a written statement<\/a> on the latest findings from the review. In response to these findings, the Cabinet Office is publishing the Civil Service EDI Expenditure Guidance. This includes an end to all external spending on EDI activity, unless cleared and authorised by Ministers.<\/p> <\/p> Further guidance on diversity staff networks is being developed, and we will seek to publish additional data on historic spending to assist transparency in this area.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4850", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Davies"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Davies"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-23T16:55:25.373Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Treasury: Equality"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the public purse was of staff diversity networks in his Department in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/350", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir John Hayes"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Holland and The Deepings"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir John Hayes"}
], "uin" : "26943"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719381", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719381/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government has supported the wine industry with duty freezes at 6 of the last 12 fiscal events, including the decision at Spring Budget 2024 to freeze alcohol duty until 1 February 2025.<\/p> As part of the new alcohol duty reforms, the Government has removed the sparkling wine premium, meaning sparkling wines now pay the same amount of duty as still wines of the same strength. As a result, an 11% sparkling wine now pays 61p less duty than under the previous duty system. While higher strength wines will be subject to more duty under the reforms than under the previous system, lower strength wines will be subject to less duty.<\/p> The Government has been clear that the wine easement is a temporary and transitional measure to support the wine industry to adapt to the new duty system by 1 February 2025. The Government is confident that the necessary changes are manageable within the time provided and that the wine industry has the information required to update their systems and calculate the correct duty.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4850", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Davies"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Davies"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "27113"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-24T08:16:46.2Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Wines: Excise Duties"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the easement for levying wine duty beyond February 2025.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4572", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Elmore"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ogmore"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Elmore"}
], "uin" : "27112"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719382", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719382/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government has supported the wine industry with duty freezes at 6 of the last 12 fiscal events, including the decision at Spring Budget 2024 to freeze alcohol duty until 1 February 2025.<\/p> As part of the new alcohol duty reforms, the Government has removed the sparkling wine premium, meaning sparkling wines now pay the same amount of duty as still wines of the same strength. As a result, an 11% sparkling wine now pays 61p less duty than under the previous duty system. While higher strength wines will be subject to more duty under the reforms than under the previous system, lower strength wines will be subject to less duty.<\/p> The Government has been clear that the wine easement is a temporary and transitional measure to support the wine industry to adapt to the new duty system by 1 February 2025. The Government is confident that the necessary changes are manageable within the time provided and that the wine industry has the information required to update their systems and calculate the correct duty.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4850", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gareth Davies"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Grantham and Stamford"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Gareth Davies"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "27112"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-24T08:16:46.247Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Wines: Government Assistance"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to support the wine industry after February 2025.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4572", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Elmore"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ogmore"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Elmore"}
], "uin" : "27113"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719047", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1719047/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "