The government introduced the Finance Bill in the House of Lords on 4 March 2025. The House is scheduled to debate the bill at second reading and all remaining stages on 19 March 2025.
Finance Bill: Bill 77 of 2024-25 (322 KB , PDF)
The Finance Bill is a government bill intended to give statutory effect to tax measures previously announced by the government, including at the 2024 autumn budget. Key measures in the bill include:
The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 27 November 2024. It was considered in a committee of the whole House on 10 and 11 December 2024, before moving to a public bill committee where technical government amendments and a new clause were agreed. The bill completed committee stage at the end of January 2025 and its remaining stages in the House of Commons on 3 March 2025.
The bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 4 March 2025 and comprises 87 clauses and 13 schedules. The House is scheduled to debate the bill at second reading on 19 March 2025. As is usual with finance bills, the House is expected to take the bill’s remaining stages formally after the second reading debate concludes.
Finance Bill: Bill 77 of 2024-25 (322 KB , PDF)
The Government’s ‘green book’ is guidance on how to appraise public sector policies, programmes and projects. In January 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced a review of the green book. The review’s conclusions were published in June 2025 and are designed to improve the effectiveness of public sector appraisal. The Treasury will release an updated green book in early 2026.
In September 2024 the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee launched an inquiry into the scaleup challenges facing startup enterprises working with artificial intelligence (AI) and creative technology. In a report published in February 2025, the committee warned the UK risked becoming an incubator economy where UK startups developed innovative products and services before selling out or moving abroad. This briefing summarises the report’s recommendations and the government’s response.
The government has committed to reducing and reclaiming public money lost to fraud and error. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill contains provisions to extend Cabinet Office and Public Sector Fraud Authority powers to tackle fraud and error outside the tax and benefits system, and also expands powers to tackle fraud within the benefits system. The bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 15 May 2025.
