Business Rate Supplements Bill
12:00 pm
John Healey: The point of the legislation is to put in a framework for the powers that may be appropriate, in some areas, at some time, to help to strengthen the local economy. London is a special case to the extent—in my view, only to this extent—that in Crossrail we have a further advanced project with further advanced plans and discussions on its funding package, and a very clear view that a BRS is an essential element of that.
My original point was that in the 1980s and 1990s, policy making generally, but particularly economic policy making, was heavily skewed towards the preoccupations, concerns and principal position of Greater London; the problems and potential of the economy in other parts of the country were largely overlooked. We are not prepared to accept that situation and we have not done so in the past 10 years. A framework of new powers that is available to London—to the Mayor and the Greater London authority—should, in principle be available to other top-level councils and local authorities in England and Wales, should they, in detailed discussion and consultation and, in some circumstances, with a ballot of businesses, take the view that using the powers could help to strengthen their economy for the long term.