Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a work experience scheme for relevant Ministers to shadow small business owners.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This government is committed to hardwiring the voice of SME owners and entrepreneurs into government policy.
For example, as part of co-designing our Plan for Small Business launched in July 2025, DBT Ministers engaged with hundreds of individual SMEs across all sectors and regions, including through roundtables across key areas, such as High Streets, Markets and Finance, as well as specific policy events such as at Wilton Park.
Ministers and their teams continue to work closely with individual SMEs and the trade associations that represent them on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what weekly financial support is provided to asylum seekers, including cash payments and vouchers; and how many people receive this support.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The level of the allowance given to those supported under section 95 and section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 is reviewed each year to ensure it covers an asylum seeker’s “essential living needs”. Full details of the items that are considered essential are set out in Asylum support: What you'll get - GOV.UK.
The Home Office publishes data on asylum seekers in receipt of Home Office support, by support type, in table Asy_D09 of the Immigration System Statistics release. The latest data relates to the year ending September 2025. Further details can be found on Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the annual cost of asylum (a) support payments, (b) accommodation and (c) associated services.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The full cost of asylum support is disclosed in the Departments published Annual Report and Accounts and includes support payments, accommodation and all other support services.
A link to the text on the 2024-25 Home Office Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) relating to Asylum Support can be found at this link Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025 (on page 75).
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of energy costs on the profitability of pubs and hospitality venues.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Tackling affordability is the Government’s number one priority and we recognise the challenges businesses, such as pubs and hospitality venues, face in securing appropriate, fair and competitively priced energy contracts.
The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers – including businesses – permanently.
Beyond this, the Government and Ofgem are taking decisive action to inform and protect non-domestic energy consumers as well as improving access to redress when issues occur.
Many businesses engage with the energy market through energy brokers and other third-party intermediaries. Government recently announced plans to appoint Ofgem to regulate intermediaries, when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of alcohol duty levels on the financial sustainability of community pubs.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2025 the Chancellor announced that alcohol duty would be kept constant in real terms by uprating it in line with by Retail Price Index (RPI) on 1 February 2026. This decision balances the important contribution of alcohol producers and the hospitality sector to the UK’s culture and economy, with the duty’s role in reducing alcohol harm.
An assessment of the impacts of this Budget decision is published within the Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rates-change/alcohol-duty-uprating#summary-of-impacts
This Government is proud to have been able to expand the generosity of Draught Relief, which enables products served on draught below 8.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to pay less duty. The Chancellor’s draught rate cut at Autumn Budget 2024 applied to approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This took a penny of duty off a typical strength pint at a cost to the Exchequer of over £85m a year, providing vital support to pubs and other venues, and helping other producers that supply eligible products.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered freezing or reforming alcohol duty on draught products sold in pubs.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2025 the Chancellor announced that alcohol duty would be kept constant in real terms by uprating it in line with by Retail Price Index (RPI) on 1 February 2026. This decision balances the important contribution of alcohol producers and the hospitality sector to the UK’s culture and economy, with the duty’s role in reducing alcohol harm.
An assessment of the impacts of this Budget decision is published within the Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rates-change/alcohol-duty-uprating#summary-of-impacts
This Government is proud to have been able to expand the generosity of Draught Relief, which enables products served on draught below 8.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to pay less duty. The Chancellor’s draught rate cut at Autumn Budget 2024 applied to approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This took a penny of duty off a typical strength pint at a cost to the Exchequer of over £85m a year, providing vital support to pubs and other venues, and helping other producers that supply eligible products.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered raising the employer National Insurance threshold for hospitality businesses.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government increased the Employment Allowance for National Insurance contributions (NICs) from £5,000 to £10,500. Furthermore, businesses can claim employer NICs reliefs for employees under-21s and under-25 apprentices on earnings up to £50,270.
There are a wide range of factors to take into consideration when introducing or expanding a tax relief. These include how effective the relief would be at achieving the policy intent, how targeted support would be, whether it adds complexity to the tax system, and the cost.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of pub closures on community cohesion.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We recognise that pubs are an important part of the social fabric of the UK, places that are focal points of many communities, where people from different backgrounds can mix and generate a sense of belonging. That is why we are introducing Community Right to Buy so people can protect pubs that mean so much to their communities. We are also taking steps to support the viability of pubs, such as introducing legislation to ban upwards only rent reviews in commercial leases, reforming licensing rules, and committing funding to support rural pubs to diversify their services.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps are being taken to help reduce levels of closures of community pubs and high-street hospitality venues.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the vital role community pubs and high-street hospitality venues play in local economies and social life; we also recognise the pressures they face.
The Government has permanently lowered business rates multipliers for eligible Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties and have introduced a £4.3 billion support package over the next three years to protect ratepayers from increases following the business rates revaluation. Additionally, through the English Devolution Bill, we have introduced a strong new ‘right to buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets, empowering local communities to reclaim and revitalise empty shops, pubs, and community spaces, helping to revamp our high streets and eliminate the blight of vacant premises
We will continue work closely with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council to improve the productivity and resilience of hospitality businesses by co-creating solutions to the issues impacting business performance.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the role of pubs in supporting local economies and employment, particularly in rural areas.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We recognise the significant contribution hospitality businesses, including pubs, make in driving economic growth and providing jobs, especially in rural and coastal communities.
No formal assessment has been made of the role pubs play in supporting local economies and employment, particularly in rural areas. In 2024, the hospitality sector contributed £51.3 billion to the UK economy, representing around 2% of total output and supporting 2 million jobs, or 6.1% of total UK employment.