Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the (a) receipts and (b) total Rateable Value for the new business rates surcharge on hereditaments above £500,000 is levied on (i) large distribution warehouses and (ii) the retail sub-sector.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government has set out the impacts of the high-value multiplier, including on retail, hospitality and leisure hereditaments here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/effects-of-the-business-rates-retail-hospitality-and-leisure-multipliers-and-high-value-multiplier/effects-of-the-business-rates-retail-hospitality-and-leisure-multipliers-and-high-value-multiplier
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2026 to Question 1248 on business rates: tax allowances, how many and what proportion of hereditaments will see bill increases in 2026-27 compared to 2025-26 (a) across all hereditaments and (b) retail, hospital and leisure hereditaments.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The information requested was provided in the answer to Question 1248 on 21 May 2026.
Since then the Government has introduced further support, including an additional 20 per cent cut for pubs, social clubs, and all but the very largest live music venues, building on the support already in place.
When taken together, these packages are worth nearly £250 million next year and will benefit around 32,000 pubs, social clubs and live music venues. The typical pub will save around £3,100 in 2027-28. The pub sector is expected to pay around 27 per cent less in business rates by 2028/29 compared with before the revaluation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2026 to Question 7834 on Council Tax: Valuation, whether dwellings which (a) are due for and (b) have received a site visit are marked up by HMRC Valuation Office with a (i) code and (ii) indicator.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Valuation Office published the proposed valuation approach on 19th May in the High Value Council Tax Surcharge consultation. We will provide further information in due course once the government has published its response to the consultation. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-value-council-tax-surcharge/high-value-council-tax-surcharge
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency annual report and accounts, 2025-26, HC401, 9 July 2026, page 56, if he will publish the delivery plan for the council tax surcharge.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The High Value Council Tax Surcharge policy remains in development.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the answer of 25 March 2026, to Question 121392, on Business rates: valuation, what were the dates of the five data drops provided by the Valuation Office Agency prior to the publication of the daft List.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The dates of the five data drops provided by the Valuation Office prior to the publication of the draft 2026 lists were:
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what number and proportion of business rate payers have seen a bill increase in 2026-27.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The information requested was provided in the answer to Question 1248 on 21 May 2026.
Since then the Government has introduced further support, including an additional 20 per cent cut for pubs, social clubs, and all but the very largest live music venues, building on the support already in place.
When taken together, these packages are worth nearly £250 million next year and will benefit around 32,000 pubs, social clubs and live music venues. The typical pub will save around £3,100 in 2027-28. The pub sector is expected to pay around 27 per cent less in business rates by 2028/29 compared with before the revaluation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether electoral registration impacts non-domiciled tax status.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
As of April 2025, the Government removed the concept of domicile from the UK tax system and replaced it with a residence-based regime. An individual's UK tax residence is now determined by the Statutory Residence Test (SRT), which assesses factors such as time spent in the UK and other connecting ties. Electoral registration does not determine an individual's tax residence status.
Further information on the SRT is available here:
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 21 April 2026 to Question 126755 on Taxation: Valuation and further to the HMRC Freedom of Information (FOI) Act response Reference FOI202648243, of 24 June 2026, if he will place the Property Details Guide released under that FOI request in the Library.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Property Details Guide was released following a Freedom of Information request. A copy of the version disclosed under that request will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what typical Special Category code is given by the Valuation Office to a standalone Post Office; and whether Post Offices inside wider retail shops are valued separately.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Special Category (SCat) code for a Post Office is 429. Where a Post Office is situated within wider retail premises, it may be assessed separately for rating purposes if the post office element is a separate unit of assessment from the wider retail premises. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Democratic Engagement Fund will be open to organisations which are subject to a policy of non-engagement.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Democratic Engagement Fund will provide grants to civil society organisations to deliver politically neutral, place‑based activities that help people understand, engage with, and participate in democracy.
Funding will be awarded on a competed basis to organisations which meet the eligibility and assessment criteria as set out in the Democratic Engagement Fund Prospectus. MHCLG will assess applications based on these criteria, including by undertaking financial, adverse publicity, and other due diligence checks for matters of reputational concern regarding each potential grant recipient.