Written Question·Treasury·UIN 91128
Electronic Commerce: Taxation
Tabled: 14 November 2025
Answered: 19 November 2025
Named DayQuestion
Jim McMahon
Labour (Co-op) — Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the (a) cost and (b) number of HMRC staff undertaking inquiries into online marketplace sellers.
Answer
Dan TomlinsonThe department is unable to provide an exact breakdown in the cost or number of staff involved in this work. This is because HMRC takes a risk-based approach to compliance, and so tax enquiries into online marketplace sellers can fall into a number of different compliance areas. Staff involved will work across a variety of business types and in most cases will not be solely working on this one trade sector.