Hospitality Businesses

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Swire (Con)]

My Lords—

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark) (Lab Co-op)]

We will hear from the Cross Benches next, then we will go to the Conservative Benches.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Swire (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

Can you please decide who is going to ask a question on the Conservative Benches?

[Lord Harper (Con)]

I am grateful to my noble friend. I listened very carefully to the Minister, but he did not answer the question about hotels, particularly family-run hotels. Their rates bills are going to rise by even more than pubs’ and there is no help coming for them. What are they to do? They run fantastic businesses, which attract people to rural areas in particular, but they face rises in their business rates of over 100% in April.