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1,006 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q Is part of the tension not that the question described a broken market, but that response describes a functioning market? Is the real issue that many institutional investors…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q It is important to say, though, that the 1 million vacancies I referred to are in existing schools. So the teachers are in the classrooms, and the buildings are there. These are…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q Thank you for giving time to give evidence today, Mr Woodall. You explained the nature of your members and the fact that their businesses are very much anchors of the community.…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q There is a variety of different schools with different specialisms, particularly those special needs schools. Clearly, we have made provisions to ensure that those with more…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)I think that rather than hearing a case from the evidence sessions that asserts that this does not need to happen, which we have just spent five minutes doing, it would be helpful…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q My next point is about the accommodation that we have sought to make for SEND pupils, in particular for those schools with a majority of pupils in that category. We recognise…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q Leading on from that, one of the other measures in the proposals would remove the current cap on the temporary relief so that multiple operators, including national operators…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q Thank you for attending the evidence session, and for the written evidence that you have provided by way of preparation for the meeting. I think there is an acceptance in the…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q On the point that you made about the potential to improve the system more generally, clearly we want this to be a measure that supports the fabric of community. In the end,…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)These are evidence sessions where we try to glean insights that we have not previously had to inform the Bill and any potential changes. But I am struggling to get from the…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q It does, a bit, but I am not entirely sure it hits at the facts, to be blunt about it. It is not the case, from the evidence, that properties above £500,000 are essentially…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)That would be very helpful.11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q If it is a stalking horse, it is a fairly mild one. The impact, even if every pound was passed on per pupil, is just over £300 a year—less than £1 a day. Dr James: I am sorry; I…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q I accept that up to a point, but the temporary relief that the previous Government brought in to cover the impact of covid on the high street and retail, hospitality and leisure…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q These measures are very deliberately targeted at those smaller properties in retail, hospitality and leisure that are generally the backbone of our high streets and town…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q Thank you for coming to give evidence today, Mr Adam. I absolutely accept what you said—you are far more qualified than me on these matters, and I will not try to test some of…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Let me make a point of clarity for the record. The 7.5% of total rateable value of the overall business rate tax take was just for retail, hospitality and leisure. It does not…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q It was more about a recognition from industry that, for the institutional investors in property, the Government are going a long way to bake a permanent relief into the system,…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q For the record, I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Mr Gerrard, many of the stores that you operate are not on the high street or in town and…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q But those are provided for in the scope of the proposed legislation. Schools that have more than half of their intake of children in that situation would be exempt—for those in…11 Dec 2024