Gareth Davies: I'll provide the voice of reason to the debate, following the previous contribution. Following the Welsh Government's cut to business rate relief, a considerable number of businesses in Rhyl and across my constituency are anxious about the viability of their businesses, given a decline in footfall since COVID. To have tax support withdrawn is an added burden for small high-street businesses....
Natasha Asghar: ...of decreased investment and footfall in our town centres. We cannot afford for this to happen. Our businesses have already been punished by this Welsh Labour Government as they lowered 75 per cent business rate relief to 40 per cent. They need support, Minister, and solutions, not control and financial attacks. So, I'd like to know what the Government's going to be doing to actively...
Alun Cairns: My right hon. Friend is well aware that the Chancellor has extended business rate relief at the rate of 75% here in England, but of course the Welsh Government are refusing to pass that money on to small businesses in Barry and Cowbridge in my constituency. Does he not think it completely unfair that a business in Bristol or Cornwall will pay a lot less in business rates than a business in...
Paul Frew: ...In looking at revenue raising from the point of departure of suggesting that Northern Ireland rates are below those of GB, Treasury should get its facts right and recognise that the Northern Ireland business rate multipliers are higher than those in GB. The business rate multiplier for England in the coming year is 54·6; for Wales, it is 56·2; and, for Scotland, it is 54·5. For Northern...
Sally-Ann Hart: ...from the Chancellor; a clear pathway for reform of business rates in England up to 2026, including reliefs; and action on VAT. The British Retail Consortium said some time ago: “We need a business rate tax that flexes with overall economic performance, is shared equitably across different industries and comes with positive incentives for business.” I will briefly mention student...
Munira Wilson: ...closed their doors than opened up. Just yesterday, a small business owner in Twickenham contacted me to tell me that his business was on the brink. If the Secretary of State will not consider business rate reform, as my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh West (Christine Jardine) suggested, what is she doing to help our small and medium-sized businesses, and to stem the tide of insolvencies?
Rachael Maskell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing business rate relief to premises which are transitioning to reached energy performance certification levels of C and above.
Gareth Davies: ...at the last autumn statement we announced tax cuts that supported the alcohol and hospitality industry. We froze alcohol duty for six months until 1 August 2024. We also announced a package of business rate changes and tax cuts worth £4.3 billion over the next five years. My hon. Friend the Member for Tewkesbury (Mr Robertson) was right to highlight the difficult time that our...
Peter Fox: ...the fortunes of our education system, which, as we know, is performing way below where it needs to be. It's also failed to recognise the importance of the economy, choosing not to provide sufficient business rate support for businesses in the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors, leading to businesses in Wales paying far more in business rates than their counterparts in England....
Mark Isherwood: ...beyond the immediate focus and affect other businesses. They're therefore calling on the Welsh Government for a review of the cumulative effects of policies currently affecting tourism, including business rate relief, the 182-day rule, council tax premiums, and proposed policies such as statutory licensing, tourism tax, and changes to the school year. I call for two Welsh Government oral...
Jim McMahon: ...and communities are on the brink due to policies made in Downing Street that affect every single local authority in the country. Funding has been slashed, the fair funding review delayed, and the business rate reset postponed, while reserves are depleted, community assets have been sold, accounts go unsubmitted, and more and more councils are lining up for emergency support. Is it not time...
Robbie Moore: ...to be eligible for a number of these funds, including the Business Recovery Grant (for up to £2,500 per SME business), the Property Flood Resilience grant (up to £5,000 per flooded property) and Business Rate relief. We are currently assessing the impact of the flooding caused by Storm Henk on farmland to enable us to confirm eligible areas for the Farming Recovery Fund. Eligible areas...
Small Business Rate Relief Scheme
Mark Drakeford: ...increasing their capacity. Let me be clear with the Member: this is not a cut to business relief. These are venues that had no relief at all prior to COVID unless they met the conditions in the main business rate relief scheme. There was a special scheme introduced during COVID, a time-limited scheme. It has been extended for another year, which means that those venues in Wales will...
Selaine Saxby: ...stand at £8 billion in bank debt and £2 billion in landlord debt. The pandemic harmed hospitality businesses and made their recovery much more difficult. Although I warmly welcome the small business rate relief that was introduced in the autumn statement, which provided some support, up to two thirds of hospitality businesses find themselves excluded—not due to generating immense...
Sally-Ann Hart: ...serve under your chairmanship, Mr Henderson. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton South (Andrew Lewer) on securing this important debate. Labour’s plans to charge VAT and end business rate relief for independent schools is based on the politics of envy, from a party that wants to crush aspiration and ambition. Labour says its primary motivation is to generate revenue...
Elizabeth Smith: .... It is clear that she understands the Laffer curve effects. We simply cannot have a tax system that creates disincentives and undermines confidence in the economy, or taxes such as the proposed business rate surtax on larger stores, which the Scottish Retail Consortium has criticised. Budgets are all about choices. I do not doubt that the choices that the Government faces are very tough,...
Simon Hoare: ...and I agree with all who have made it. The hon. Member for York Central asked a specific question about the flood recovery framework and business rates. I am delighted to confirm to her that 100% business rate relief is available to business for a minimum of three months where they have been flooded and that that relief can continue to an agreed date until the business is able to be...
Gareth Davies: ...start-ups failing within their first three years. Times are tough, especially for hospitality and retail, after COVID-19, with one in six shops in Wales currently empty. With the planned cuts to business rate relief, significant cuts to Business Wales's budget and a reduction in funding for export trade and inward investments, keeping a profitable new business afloat is going to get harder...
Robbie Moore: ...to be eligible for a number of these funds, including the Business Recovery Grant (for up to £2,500 per SME business), the Property Flood Resilience grant (up to £5,000 per flooded property) and Business Rate relief. We are currently assessing the full impact of the flooding caused by Storm Henk on farmland to enable us to confirm eligible areas for the Farming Recovery Fund. Eligible...