Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress she has made on reforming the business rates system.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector.
When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.
Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from.
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR.
The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations.
In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.
HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to hold discussions with (a) the Mayor of London and (b) local authorities in London on the potential impact of changes to business rates on (i) small and (ii) independent retailers.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector.
When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.
Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from.
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR.
The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations.
In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.
HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to business rates on the long-term viability of high streets in Chelsea and Fulham constituency.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector.
When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.
Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from.
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR.
The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations.
In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.
HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to introduce additional support measures for small businesses affected by increases in business rates in London boroughs.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector.
When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.
Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from.
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR.
The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations.
In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.
HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support small businesses in (a) high-rent areas and (b) Chelsea and Fulham constituency, in the context of recent changes to business rates.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector.
When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.
Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from.
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR.
The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations.
In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.
HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to business rates on small independent businesses in Chelsea and Fulham constituency.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that supports small businesses and protects the high street.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will provide permanent support to the sector.
When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier.
Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from.
At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform, including SBRR.
The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Discussion Paper, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.
The Government has engaged extensively with stakeholders, both face-to-face at roundtables and through written representations.
In summer, the Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Budget 2025.
HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 May 2025 on Childhood Obesity, HCWS652, what steps he is taking to ensure that the final non-statutory guidance issued by the Advertising Standards Authority protects children from unhealthy food and drink advertising.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. These restrictions are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from United Kingdom children’s diets per year and deliver £2 billion in health benefits.
Ofcom was appointed as the statutory regulator for the advertising restrictions and this was set out in primary legislation via the Health and Care Act 2022. Following consultation, Ofcom appointed the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) as the frontline regulator.
The ASA is developing non-statutory implementation guidance to set out how it will enforce the restrictions in practice. The ASA is required by law to consult my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its implementation guidance ahead of publication.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of the document by Trussell entitled Cost of Hunger and Hardship - final report, published on 30 April 2025.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Hunger and poor nutrition are devastating for society - especially children. We are determined to raise the healthiest ever generation, which is why the Government is expanding free school meals, rolling out breakfast clubs and supporting those in need through the Healthy Start scheme. Our Child Poverty Strategy will tackle root causes, to give children the best start in life.Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to provide additional funding to local authorities to support repairs in social housing; and what steps she is taking with local authorities to ensure the adequacy of the condition of social housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to working with social housing providers to ensure that homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould.
The Deputy Prime Minister made a Written Ministerial Statement on 6 February 2025 (HCWS423) confirming that the government will be bringing Awaab's Law into force for damp and mould in October 2025.
The government is also committed to consulting on a new Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards this year.
We will set out plans at the next fiscal event to give councils and housing associations the rent stability they need to be able to borrow and invest in both new and existing homes, while also ensuring that there are appropriate protections for both existing and future social housing tenants.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of the 1.5 million homes expected to be built in this Parliament will be designated as social housing; and what criteria her Department uses to designate new housing as affordable.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.
Affordable housing is defined in the National Planning Policy Framework.