House of Commons · Urgent Question
17 November 2025 · 32 other contributors
Opened by Mel Stride Con Central Devon
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Mel Stride raised concerns about budget press briefings 2025-11-17 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Will the Chief Secretary to the Treasury confirm whether the Chancellor or any other minister has sanctioned briefings on potential budget tax measures or OBR forecasts to journalists, and will he investigate leaks from the Department?
Question
Why have there been numerous reports of potential tax measures in newspapers when this information is meant to be confidential?
Minister reply
The Minister reiterates that every member takes their responsibilities seriously. He does not comment on speculation but confirms the government's commitment to fiscal rules and priorities such as protecting public services, supporting growth, aiding those struggling with cost of living, and reducing debt.
Question
Can the Minister clarify if these leaks are due to speculation or actual information leaks from the Treasury?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges that noise and speculation is normal before a Budget but does not comment further on leaks. He reiterates the government's focus on fiscal rules, reducing inflationary pressures, and focusing on priorities like the NHS and cost of living.
Question
How are these leaks affecting people’s lives and livelihoods? What steps is the government taking to stop them?
Minister reply
The Minister regrets noise and speculation but does not comment further on specifics. He emphasises the focus on building strong foundations for the economy, reducing inflationary pressures, and getting debt down.
Question
Why has an inquiry into these leaks not been launched by the Cabinet Secretary or permanent secretary?
Minister reply
The Minister does not comment on the ongoing Budget process but emphasises commitment to fiscal rules that have been met at every event since Parliament began and will be met next week.
Question
Will the Minister clarify that any further speculation seen in media has not been authorised by anyone in Government?
Minister reply
The Minister reiterates his commitment to fiscal rules and priorities such as providing resilience for public finances, reducing inflationary pressures, and getting the cost of borrowing down.
Question
How does the Minister address the apparent briefing from Treasury or No. 11 on income tax changes?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges public perception but reiterates commitment to fiscal rules and priorities.
Question
Does the Minister agree that this speculation is having a real impact on business confidence?
Minister reply
While I would rather not engage in this urgent question, it is clear that such speculation can indeed have negative impacts on business confidence.
Question
How are decisions made in the Budget process, and what did we inherit when Labour took office?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right that we inherited a challenging economic situation from the previous Conservative government. The current government prioritises stability and takes robust measures to secure the long-term future of the country.
Question
Will there be an inquiry into leaks that have caused speculation?
Minister reply
I will not comment on ongoing Budget process or speculate about measures. However, I note previous leak inquiries and encourage all members to refrain from speculating.
Question
Is the failure of withholding spending pressures from OBR corrected under this Government?
Minister reply
The process between OBR and Treasury has been strengthened to be more robust and transparent under this government, with an iterative sharing of forecasts and proposed measures.
Question
Does the Minister acknowledge that if energy profits levy continues in its current form, more constituents will lose their jobs?
Minister reply
I am not going to speculate on Budget measures but I understand the concerns raised about potential impacts on employment.
Question
Can the Chief Secretary confirm that this will be a Budget prioritising economic growth?
Minister reply
I can absolutely confirm that the upcoming Budget will prioritise economic growth.
Question
Does the Minister acknowledge the higher cost of borrowing today compared to peak under Liz Truss?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is incorrect in his assessment, as the Chancellor’s speech was not announcing measures but outlining challenges facing the country.
Question
Will the Minister ensure support for the beer sector in my constituency?
Minister reply
While I will not speculate on Budget measures, I note my hon. Friend’s case for supporting a vital sector like pubs which are important to our communities.
Question
Does the Minister understand the impact of contradictory rumours about pensions and inheritance tax?
Minister reply
There is always noise and speculation ahead of a Budget, but I will not speculate on what measures will be announced next week.
Question
Will the Minister commit to tackling tax evasion with serious investment in HMRC?
Minister reply
Tackling tax avoidance and evasion is a top priority for the Government, but I cannot speculate on specific measures in the upcoming Budget.
Question
Does the Minister think it was a mistake to construct fiscal rules with minimal headroom?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is right that fiscal resilience is crucial, and the Chancellor aims to ensure more resilient public finances in her upcoming Budget.
Question
Given blatant breach of pre-Budget purdah, will the Chancellor follow Hugh Dalton's example?
Minister reply
I am not entirely clear on what the right hon. Member means but I suspect there is disagreement.
Question
Is the Treasury aware of how incompetent it looks in the eyes of markets?
Minister reply
The Budget is next week, on Wednesday 26 November. Businesses welcome the Chancellor's commitment to fiscal rules.
Question
Does the Minister recognise the anxiety caused by speculation about a mansion tax?
Minister reply
The level of noise and speculation is regrettable, but I will not engage in further speculation on these measures.
Question
I have met businesses and constituents who tell me that they have changed their decisions based on recent speculation or leaks. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that this situation is deeply regrettable?
Minister reply
It is regrettable that there is noise and speculation around the Budget, because the right way for Budgets to be conducted is for those measures to be iterated with the Office for Budget Responsibility in the normal way, with the forecasts and measures being exchanged between the Treasury and the OBR, and for the package of measures in full to be announced by the Chancellor on Budget day.
Question
This situation is creating instability, chaos, volatility and uncertainty for businesses and households. Why will the Minister not answer the shadow Chancellor’s question about having an inquiry into what has actually happened?
Minister reply
At the Budget last year we took the right decisions to fix the public finances and to get the NHS and public services back on their feet. We could not carry on with public services as they were when we inherited them, nor with public finances as they were.
Question
Leaks, unauthorised briefing and speculation are creating instability, chaos, volatility and uncertainty for businesses and households. Why will the Minister not answer the shadow Chancellor’s question about having an inquiry into what has actually happened?
Minister reply
As I have said, I am not going to comment on the ongoing Budget process. However, stability is at the heart of our approach, which is why building more resilient public finances with the headroom to withstand global turbulence is so important in giving businesses the confidence to invest.
Question
There appears to have been a lot of speculation about this Budget, leading to suspicions of a leak. The Minister must surely recognise that there was a possibility of a leak, in which case either he knows who the leak was and that is why he does not want to investigate, or he does not know who the leak was, in which case he should want to investigate.
Minister reply
A number of the hon. Lady’s colleagues have asked the same question today, and my answer has been consistent throughout, which is that I am not going to comment on the ongoing Budget process.
Question
The chaos and confusion at the heart of this Government are deeply damaging to Scotland, its economy and public services. Can the Minister succeed in persuading the Chancellor to have a meeting with the Scottish Secretary for Finance?
Minister reply
In my role as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I have met Ministers in the Scottish Government to discuss the fiscal situation. We have a fiscal forum every quarter, with representatives from the Scottish Government as well as from Wales and Northern Ireland, and that is the right way for us to have routine discussions about matters of shared interest.
Question
The Government have clearly lost control of this Budget process. Businesses across the UK are sending up distress flares due to speculation, hiring down, confidence down and investments down.
Minister reply
Businesses can have confidence in this Government because when we say we are going to stick to our fiscal rules, we mean it. When we say we are going to have more headroom to make our economy and public finances more resilient, we mean it.
Question
The late date of the Budget and speculation around it have undermined businesses’ ability to make decisions. Might the Chief Secretary speculate on something that might be useful for small and medium-sized enterprises in Cheltenham?
Minister reply
While the hon. Gentleman would not expect me to speculate on details, I can reassure him that our Budget will support growth by enabling businesses to create jobs, innovate, invest and grow.
Question
The Minister has repeatedly said that he takes his responsibilities very seriously. Will he do so from this Dispatch Box in honour of what he has been saying today?
Minister reply
I did not say just that I take my responsibility to this House very seriously; I said that every Minister in this Government takes their responsibility to this House very seriously. I am not going to engage in further speculation ahead of the Budget.
Question
A record £70 billion has been withdrawn from pension schemes through the tax-free lump sum as a result of uncertainty and fear driven by recent leaks. Does the Minister understand that constant leaks and policy kite flying are leading to this adverse effect on pensioners’ savings?
Minister reply
As I have said already today, there is, regrettably, always noise and speculation ahead of the Budget, but I am not going to contribute toward that speculation.
Question
Businesses in Maidenhead want certainty. Given the damage caused by our current Brexit deal, could negotiating a new EU-UK customs union generate £25 billion a year for our economy?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman will be aware of the Government’s red lines on not rejoining the customs union. I can reassure him that, in approaching this Budget, the Chancellor’s commitment to her fiscal rules will ensure that we prioritise having extra resilience in terms of headroom, reduce inflationary pressures and get the costs of borrowing down.
Question
Retailers faced £7 billion in extra costs from last year’s Budget. How are the Government and Chancellor going to breathe life into our high street and not sound the death knell for struggling small businesses?
Minister reply
It does not count as me engaging in speculation if I assure the hon. Gentleman that, as we have already preannounced, we will set out our new business rates multipliers at the Budget, with permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, in order to help high streets across the country.
Government Response
Every Minister in this Government takes their obligations to the House seriously. The Chancellor will deliver a Budget on November 26th that aims to protect public services, support growth and businesses, aid those struggling with cost of living, and reduce debt. While speculation is normal ahead of a Budget, the government remains committed to its fiscal rules and plans to present these at the Budget next week. There has been ongoing engagement with the OBR as per usual practice. The Chancellor will make decisions based on forecasts, but details are not disclosed until the official announcement.