Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Connor Naismith Excerpts
Tuesday 3rd December 2024

(2 days, 2 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Jonathan Hinder Portrait Jonathan Hinder (Pendle and Clitheroe) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

13. What steps she is taking to introduce permanent reductions to business rates for high street retailers.

Connor Naismith Portrait Connor Naismith (Crewe and Nantwich) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

17. What steps she is taking to introduce permanent reductions to business rates for high street retailers.

Jade Botterill Portrait Jade Botterill (Ossett and Denby Dale) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

24. What steps she is taking to introduce permanent reductions to business rates for high street retailers.

--- Later in debate ---
James Murray Portrait James Murray
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the importance of small, independent businesses in his constituency, and I am sure his sentiment is shared by Members across the House. Through our reforms, we are setting out to make sure that those properties with a rateable value of £500,000 or more pay so we can have a permanent tax cut for high street business. This category includes the large distribution warehouses used by online businesses, which will make sure that those online businesses make a fair contribution to ensuring that our high streets are the success we all want to see.

Connor Naismith Portrait Connor Naismith
- View Speech - Hansard - -

Ahead of Small Business Saturday, I congratulate St Martha Greek taverna in Nantwich on being the first winner of my Crewe and Nantwich small business of the month competition. Small businesses on our high streets, such as St Martha, regularly highlight business rates as a significant challenge, so what steps is the Minister taking to ensure that they can continue to thrive?

James Murray Portrait James Murray
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

May I extend my congratulations to St Martha Greek taverna in Nantwich? Given the time, I am feeling a bit hungry now that we are talking about food. I reassure my hon. Friend that our plans to reform the business rates system would see a permanent tax cut for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses. While I do not know exactly the details or the rateable value of the property in question, I am sure properties like that would be eligible for the cut. It is crucial that we support those much-loved local businesses. I am glad he is doing all he can to champion them, and I look forward to my invite.