Contributions
715 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Business RatesI am always happy to look at and respond to the correspondence I receive from hon. Members. I am aware of the issue my hon. Friend raises, which she has been consistently raising…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesIt is not for me to tell the devolved Administrations how to spend their money, but if the right hon. Gentleman writes to me, I will be happy to write back to him with the details…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesI would not want to be the Minister who caused that to happen. My hon. Friend has made a very good point, and, as the parent of a young child, I can say how much I value soft…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesNo.27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesI am sure that the consequentials and their implications will be set out as soon as is practically possible.27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesYes, we will continue to work with pubs, because we do value them. I want to be clear, however, that we value all of the businesses on the high street. We value our hospitality…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesI very much agree with my hon. Friend. What happened in the past is in stark contrast to the reform of our business rates system under our Government. We have set out long-term…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesThe definition of “pubs” that is used for the changes that have been announced today is the same one that was used when the previous Government implemented a relief. I believe…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesI thank my hon. Friend for her engagement on behalf of the businesses in her constituency. She raises some interesting issues on tax, regulation and licensing when it comes to…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesWe were aware of the changes to rateable values that were going to be published at the Budget, which is why we came forward with a significant package of support to help…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesWe are keen to hear from businesses, large and small, about what more the Government can do to support high streets. We want to engage on lots of issues affecting high streets,…27 Jan 2026HANSARDSupport for BusinessesThere are a number of questions on this topic, and I am sure there will be more this afternoon when I make a statement to the House on a package of support in relation to business…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesBecause of the concerns around the methodology to value hotels, today we have announced that we will review that methodology so that, in time for the next revaluation, hotels can…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesI thank my hon. Friend for his advocacy on behalf of the pubs and businesses in his constituency. Concerns have been raised about the methodology. We have looked into that in…27 Jan 2026HANSARD Business RatesBecause of the interventions announced today, the total business rates bill for pubs will fall over the coming years. As the hon. Member mentions, we are giving individual pubs a…27 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness Rates: Retail, Hospitality and LeisureOne of the challenges with the questions I am being asked by Opposition Members is that they seem to be suggesting that the Government should not have gone ahead with the…19 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness Rates: Retail, Hospitality and LeisureI thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. Many grassroots music venues are valued as pubs. Intricacies and complexities in the business rates system mean that, when we think…19 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness Rates: Retail, Hospitality and LeisureI am glad that the hon. Member was able to ask the exact same question as the shadow Chancellor, the right hon. Member for Central Devon (Sir Mel Stride). I am not going to…19 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness Rates: Retail, Hospitality and LeisureI thank my hon. Friend for her question and for her continued representation for the small businesses in her Bournemouth constituency, where I know there is a vibrant and growing…19 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness Rates: Retail, Hospitality and LeisureThis Government understand the pressures that hospitality businesses, and pubs in particular, are facing. One of the pressures, which I have heard about very clearly, relates to…19 Jan 2026