Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the removal of business rates relief and business rates revaluation on high street businesses.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.
At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
Without our support, the pub sector as a whole would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in place, this has fallen to just 4%.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
The National Insurance Contributions (NICs) Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500, ensuring that over half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities, including those in the hospitality sector, will either gain or see no change this year. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside changes to employer NICs.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to reduce youth unemployment in the context of employment levels in the hospitality sector.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the importance of the Hospitality sector in providing employment for young people. The Budget made more than £1.5bn available over the next three years for investment in employment and skills support. This funds £820m for the Youth Guarantee and provides £725m for the Growth and Skills Levy, ensuring young people have the support they need to earn or learn.
We are supporting more than 50,000 young people into apprenticeships in England by fully funding apprenticeship training costs for all eligible 16-24-year-olds, removing the need for non-levy paying employers to co-fund these learners. We are also expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors such as hospitality and retail, where young people are traditionally recruited. All these measures will be available to assist the hospitality sector in employing young people.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the survival of local museums in a) England and b) Worcestershire.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government supports museums nationwide through direct funding of National museums, funding of the Arts Council, and the administration of tax schemes like the Museums VAT Refund Scheme, and the Museums and Galleries Exhibitions Tax Relief. In October the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced 75 recipients of a new £20 million Museum Renewal Fund to keep our local museums open and serving communities, protecting opening hours and jobs and telling our national story at a local level. Earlier this year, DCMS also announced a further £25 million this year to support museums across England with urgent infrastructure through the Museum Estate and Development Fund. Together, these two interventions double the c. £44 million that Arts Council England (ACE) is already investing annually into core support for local museums.
Two museums in Worcestershire, the Museum of Royal Worcester, and Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum, were awarded £228,343 and £239,922 respectively from the Museum Renewal Fund, and ACE have invested more than £3m in six museums across Worcestershire since 2021.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to continue the Museum Renewal Fund past March 2026; and whether that fund remains open for new applications.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Museum Renewal Fund, announced in February, closed to applicants in May 2025. 75 museum groups were awarded a total of £20 million in October, to keep our local museums open and serving communities, protecting opening hours and jobs and telling our national story at a local level. The department keeps its funding and support for different sectors under regular review, and decisions pertaining to future budgetary allocations will be taken in the usual manner, through departmental business planning.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) extend the consultation period and (b) hold further discussions with (i) specialist and (ii) independent providers on the proposed schools white paper.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
This government is determined to deliver reform that stands the test of time and rebuilds the confidence of families.
To ensure lived experience and partnership are at the heart of our reforms, we have launched a national conversation on SEND with children, young people and their families, experts, charities and other sector organisations through our SEND Ministerial development group, regional and online engagement sessions, and ministerial roundtables. Further information is available here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-reform-national-conversation/.
The experiences shared during these engagement opportunities will be vital in ensuring that our proposals effectively deliver meaningful reforms for families. We will continue engagement as part of a formal consultation following the White Paper publication, and the responses received will be carefully considered in shaping the reforms.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing an overall timeline for the phase out of animal experimentation.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to reducing the use of animals in scientific research, and on 11th November published a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/replacing-animals-in-science-strategy).
It is not yet possible to replace all animal research due to the complexity of biological systems and regulatory requirements. Any work to phase out animal testing must be science-led, in lock step with partners, so we will move as quickly as possible to reduce their use in line with scientific discovery of alternatives.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the comments made by the then Tourism Minister on 3 September 2025 (Hansard col 351), that the Government has no plans to introduce a tourism tax, remain the policy of her Department.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose.
We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.
The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear these concerns. This will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied and how any revenue is invested.
Following consultation, we expect Mayors would publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment, informed by the consultation.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a visitor levy on a) domestic and inbound tourism demand, b) inflation and c) the cost burden on hospitality businesses.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose.
We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.
The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear these concerns. This will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied and how any revenue is invested.
Following consultation, we expect Mayors would publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment, informed by the consultation.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues about a potential introduction of a tourism tax or visitor levy powers.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose.
We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.
The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.
The impacts of the levy will largely be determined by local decisions. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with businesses and their communities to hear these concerns. This will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied and how any revenue is invested.
Following consultation, we expect Mayors would publish a summary of the consultation results and their response, including a final prospectus, and an impact assessment, informed by the consultation.
Asked by: Nigel Huddleston (Conservative - Droitwich and Evesham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with (a) specialist and (b) independent providers to ensure that reforms to the (i) SEND and (ii) schools system improves outcomes for children requiring specialist care.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department engages regularly with special schools and their representative organisations. Their views play an important part in shaping policy development. We will continue to listen directly to those working within the system, ensuring that our policy development is grounded in lived experience and fosters a culture of shared learning and constructive challenge.
While the department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, there remains a crucial role for special schools, not only in supporting children and young people with particularly complex needs, but also in building capability across the system. Details of the government's intended approach to special educational needs and disabilities reform will be set out in a Schools White Paper in the new year.