Business Rates Avoidance Schemes

Baroness Neville-Rolfe Excerpts

Wednesday 16th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

I accept that point. We have just introduced something to look at the impact we could have on shops that do not have any social responsibility, such as vape shops, through additional rates, et cetera, so that we can invest in shops in those communities that do a really good job, especially in rural areas. Living in a village, I know very well how important the local shop is.

[Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con)]

My Lords, I know from having had ministerial responsibilities for public sector fraud that there is much scope for reducing it in local authorities. Scams relating to empty business premises are a very good example of this. Do the Government have any wider plans to tackle fraud in local authorities, perhaps with the support of the Public Sector Fraud Authority, and to get at the problems that we have been hearing about?

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

As I mentioned in answer to my noble friend Lord McCabe, the Government are looking seriously at this. We laid out our plans in the Finance Act 2026 earlier this year. We realise that the issues raised by the noble Baroness need to be taken into consideration, so a lot more initiatives will take place to accommodate them.