Draft West Of England Combined Authority (Business Rate Supplements Functions) Order 2018

(Limited Text - Ministerial Extracts only)

Monday 9th July 2018 General Committees

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Jake Berry)]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft West of England Combined Authority (Business Rate Supplements Functions) Order 2018.

The order was laid before the House on 7 June. It will confer a power to raise business rate supplements on the West of England combined authority Mayor. The power is similar to that for a mayoral infrastructure supplement, which was included in the Government’s devolution agreement.

With the order having been laid just over a month ago, I think the House has had ample time to consider it. I therefore commend it to the Committee.

--- Later in debate ---

[Jake Berry]

There is no supplement at the moment. The order seeks to confer a supplement power on the Mayor. If the Mayor seeks to use it, he has to come forward with a prospectus, and it has to be supported by a majority of the businesses entitled to vote. As proposed, that would mean that 87% of businesses in the combined authority would not have to pay.

In relation to the Mayor, he is of course answerable to his combined authority and, ultimately, to the electorate.

Question put and agreed to.