Oral Answers to Questions

Gill German Excerpts

Tuesday 8th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Peter Swallow (Bracknell) (Lab)]

18. What discussions he has had with representatives of hospitality businesses on the potential impact of business rates relief on the sector.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

20. What discussions he has had with representatives of hospitality businesses on the potential impact of business rates relief on the sector.

[Will Stone (Swindon North) (Lab)]

23. What discussions he has had with representatives of the hospitality sector on the potential impact of business rates relief on that sector.

--- Later in debate ---

[James Murray]

I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the contribution that businesses such as Koh-I-Noor provide to local communities and economies. As he set out, the Government are helping pubs right now, because of the important community assets that they are and the real pressures that they face. I assure him that we will continue to look at what more we can do to support high street businesses more widely to help them to invest and grow.

[Gill German]

Like our new Prime Minister, many of us on the north Wales coast love the pubs and music venues of the north-west. The boost to them from business rates relief is really welcome, but we love our pubs and venues too. Pubs such as the Bay Hop and the Mayquay face the same challenges as our north-west neighbours, and we want to attract more live music to north Wales too. Decisions on business rates in Wales are of course the responsibility of the Welsh Government, but does the Minister agree that the need for support does not stop at the border, and that a 20% cut to business rates in Wales would be a welcome boost for us too?

[James Murray]

I very much agree with my hon. Friend about the vital role that pubs and clubs play in local communities on either side of the border. As she rightly points out, business rates decisions in Wales are a decision for the Welsh Government. In England, we have taken action to support community venues and high streets, including the targeted business rates support for pubs. I urge the Welsh Government to consider doing the same.

Oral Answers to Questions

Gill German Excerpts

Tuesday 9th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Rigby]

I am afraid that I must disagree with the hon. Lady when she says that 350 is a meaningless number, but of course we understand the importance of in-person banking for rural communities. The location of banking hubs is determined independently by Link, and the criteria are a matter for the FCA, but I regularly meet MPs to discuss the adequacy and the application of those rules. In fact, there will be a banking hub surgery for Members of Parliament tomorrow, and she is more than welcome to join it.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

I warmly welcome the second rise in the national minimum wage under this Government. Some 160,000 workers in Wales have already benefited since the rise in April. Many of them are younger workers, particularly in the retail and hospitality sector, which is so important to my constituency at Christmas and beyond. What assessment has been made of the impact of the national minimum wage rise on younger workers, and what progress has been made on equalising the national minimum wage with the national minimum wage for under-21s?

[James Murray]

About 300,000 young workers are expected to benefit from the national minimum wage increases in April 2026. The Low Pay Commission was given a remit to develop its preferred path and pace for the equalisation of the 18-to-20 national minimum wage and the national living wage. The 18-to-20 national minimum wage rate from April 2026 makes steps towards that commitment.

Spending Review 2025

Gill German Excerpts

Wednesday 11th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Reeves]

I think the whole House would pay tribute to the people of Portsmouth and their commitment to our country’s defence. On affordable housing, through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the planning reforms we have already announced, we are enabling the building of these homes. Through the £39 billon announced today, we are putting in money so that we can build social and affordable homes. It is disappointing that the Liberal Democrats do not back our planning and infrastructure reforms, because unless everyone backs those, it will be very hard to get Britain building again and to build the 1.5 million homes that people in Portsmouth and the rest of our country desperately need.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

I warmly welcome the Chancellor’s statement and, like my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff West (Mr Barros-Curtis), in particular the historic £445 million investment into rail in Wales. I also echo my hon. Friend’s thanks for the tireless representation of our Secretary of State for Wales and our Welsh Labour MPs. For my constituency, the investment means vital funding for Network North Wales to seamlessly connect with Northern Powerhouse Rail, bringing us closer to realising the ambitious vision of our UK Labour Government, our Welsh Labour Government, and our Labour metro mayors. Does the Chancellor agree that it is only with Labour working together that we can truly deliver for the people of north Wales?

[Rachel Reeves]

We finally have a Labour Government here and in Wales to work together for the people of Clwyd North and across Wales to make those investments, including the significant investments in transport that we have announced today. I pay tribute to all the Welsh Labour MPs who have lobbied me so extensively to get this investment into Welsh rail. I was left with no doubt about what the priority is for the people of Wales: transport investment and investment into coal tip safety. I am pleased to have been able to set that out in the spending review.

Oral Answers to Questions

Gill German Excerpts

Tuesday 20th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Jas Athwal (Ilford South) (Lab)]

11. What steps she is taking through the spending review to help increase levels of economic growth.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

14. What steps she is taking through the spending review to help increase levels of economic growth.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves)]

I know that my hon. Friend is working closely with the local Labour council in Southport to regenerate the local town centre, and we will make sure that this Government back him every step of the way.

--- Later in debate ---

[Rachel Reeves]

At the Budget, we more than doubled the employment allowance to £10,500 to take many small businesses out of paying national insurance altogether. On corporation tax, we have maintained the small profits rate to help smaller businesses, and to help entrepreneurs raise finance and grow, the Government have extended the enterprise investment scheme and the venture capital trust scheme. I very much add my words of support to businesses across Ilford, and I commend the work my hon. Friend does to champion them.

[Gill German]

Clwyd North is a proud coastal constituency, home to a dedicated hospitality sector with many small businesses, including the recently opened Bobcats Coffee, where young entrepreneur Bobby is an example to us all. Economic circumstances have been tough after a decade of neglect by the Tories. Will the Chancellor outline the Treasury’s plans to support the small businesses that are such a vital part of our local economy?

[Rachel Reeves]

From the next financial year, this Government will introduce permanently lower rates for high street, retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000, and we are doing that exactly to support the sort of businesses that my hon. Friend champions.

Oral Answers to Questions

Gill German Excerpts

Tuesday 21st January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Darren Jones]

The hon. Gentleman knows that in order for us to restore public finances and put them on a firm foundation, departmental settlements have to reflect the cost of the civil servants they employ; that is how the Departments are working. As the Chancellor has previously confirmed, the Department for Education has received money to cover the cost of running the education system, and the details will be provided to schools in the normal way in due course.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

T8.   The Secretary of State for Transport, the Secretary of State for Wales, the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee and the Welsh Government all went on record last week to recognise the previous Government’s low spending on rail infrastructure in Wales. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this Government must put that under-investment right, and can she assure me that the Treasury recognises the crucial part that our railways play in economic growth in Wales?

[Darren Jones]

I thank my hon. Friend, who is an important champion for the Welsh economy. Wales can and will play a vital part in our growth mission. Our two Labour Governments continue to work together as we review the position inherited from the Conservative Government, including on rail infrastructure, and decisions will be set out in the spending review in June.