Business Rates

Jack Abbott Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dan Tomlinson]

Because of the interventions announced today, the total business rates bill for pubs will fall over the coming years. As the hon. Member mentions, we are giving individual pubs a 15% reduction on their new bills, and then a real-terms freeze for the next two years. That is a significant intervention because of the significant challenges that pubs have faced—7,000 pubs have closed—and the issues with their RV methodology.

[Jack Abbott (Ipswich) (Lab/Co-op)]

I welcome this really significant additional support for pubs and music venues, on top of the £4.3 billion given to the wider sector at the Budget. I thank the Minister for all the conversations that he has had with me over the last few weeks, and I also thank Dan and Ness from the Greyhound, who have engaged so positively and constructively with me. It is fair to say that the business rates rebound inherited from the previous Government led to a mixed picture across Ipswich, but the Greyhound was particularly unfortunate. Could the Minister lay out his thinking behind the review of this process?

[Dan Tomlinson]

I thank my hon. Friend for his advocacy on behalf of the pubs and businesses in his constituency. Concerns have been raised about the methodology. We have looked into that in recent weeks, and we think it is right to review it. That review will take place in the coming months. It will definitely report in time for the new revaluation, so that we can have a long-term, sustainable methodology for pubs, making sure that they are valued in the right way for the long term, from 2029 onwards.