Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate

Oral Answers to Questions

Nusrat Ghani Excerpts
Monday 21st March 2016

(8 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text
Mims Davies Portrait Mims Davies (Eastleigh) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

1. What estimate he has made of the amount of revenue that councils will be able to collect through devolved business rates.

Nusrat Ghani Portrait Nusrat Ghani (Wealden) (Con)
- Hansard - -

4. What estimate he has made of the amount of revenue that councils will be able to collect through devolved business rates.

Greg Clark Portrait The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Councils currently retain just under £12 billion of the business rates that they collect. As a result of our reforms, we estimate that, by the end of this Parliament, councils will retain the full £26 billion raised from business rates.

--- Later in debate ---
Nusrat Ghani Portrait Nusrat Ghani
- Hansard - -

The Sussex chamber of commerce has declared its delight at the Chancellor’s announcement that small business rate relief will be doubled, but will the Secretary of State confirm that the Budget measures will ensure that rural areas such as Wealden and East Sussex, which are net receivers of business rates, are not worse off as a result of the change?

Greg Clark Portrait Greg Clark
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend can have that reassurance. The package for small businesses in the Budget has been warmly received by small businesses right across the country. It amounts to a reduction of nearly £7 billion over four years, and every penny of that will be made up to local councils, so small businesses will benefit and councils will suffer no detriment.