Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)

Debate between Harriet Cross and Sureena Brackenridge

Committee stage
Wednesday 11th December 2024 Public Bill Committees

[Harriet Cross]

Q I understand that James Lowman, the chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, has written to the Chancellor following the Budget, and he described how 2025 will be a bleak year for small convenience stores, as they face over £666 million of additional cost. Will the Bill’s changes to the multipliers of domestic rates make a dent in that? Overall, will your convenience stores benefit from the Budget or be disadvantaged by it? How do those two things fit together?

Edward Woodall: You are right that our estimation of the cost of the Budget was £666 million, and we wrote to the Treasury to set that out. As I said, I think the Bill provides more structure and permanency in the support for retail, hospitality and leisure relief. I cannot comment on how much it will do, because I do not yet know where the multipliers will be set, but I think there is an opportunity to make the investment environment for businesses better with this Bill. We are not just looking at one single relief; we are looking at it over a period of time and we have the opportunity to discuss how that multiplier is set. One way in which the Bill could facilitate that better is through the procedure for the setting of the lower multiplier, which is currently by negative resolution in the Bill documents. That might want to move to an affirmative resolution so that we can have a debate on whether it goes up or down in the future, so that we can have a closer discussion on those things.

[Mrs Brackenridge]

Q To follow on from the question of my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash about security, I have a couple of things to say. Will you confirm the estimated benefit of the proposed business rate relief to small stores? Recently in my constituency, I accompanied my local neighbourhood police team to visit several stores on estates and high streets, as well as in a retail park. One of the things that the stores said directly to me and to the local neighbourhood police teams was about the shocking increase in retail crime—theft and violence—linked to stores directly employing fewer security staff. Will you share your thoughts on the impacts—the benefits—that the savings could make?