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Environment Protection: Fines and Taxation

Asked by Dr Scott ArthurLabourTreasuryTabled Answered 17 October 2025UIN 80361

The question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to introduce environmental (a) taxes and (b) fines to reinvest in (i) green infrastructure and (ii) low carbon innovation.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson

The government has in place ambitious environmental taxes as part of its commitment to make polluters pay for their emissions and support investment into decarbonisation. The UK’s leading carbon pricing policy is the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The ETS covers major emitting sectors - energy intensive industries, power generation and aviation - and requires allowances to be purchased for carbon emissions.

The government recognises the important role that environmental taxes play in incentivising businesses to operate in a more environmentally friendly way. All this revenue is paid into the Consolidated Fund to help to finance vital public services including supporting green infrastructure and low carbon innovation.

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