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 HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of the potential impact of the level of VAT on the hospitality sector in (a) the UK and (b) comparable European countries.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Introducing reduced or tiered VAT rates would reduce tax revenue and add complexity to the tax system.
HMRC estimate that the cost of a 5 per cent reduced rate for accommodation, hospitality and tourist attractions would be around £13 billion this financial year. If the scope were also to include alcoholic beverages, the cost would be approximately £3 billion greater. This would reduce VAT revenue, which pays for public services, by almost 10% in 2025/26.
The Government is aware that some European countries apply reduced VAT rates to hospitality.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered introducing a reduced or tiered VAT rate for pubs and restaurants.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Introducing reduced or tiered VAT rates would reduce tax revenue and add complexity to the tax system.
HMRC estimate that the cost of a 5 per cent reduced rate for accommodation, hospitality and tourist attractions would be around £13 billion this financial year. If the scope were also to include alcoholic beverages, the cost would be approximately £3 billion greater. This would reduce VAT revenue, which pays for public services, by almost 10% in 2025/26.
The Government is aware that some European countries apply reduced VAT rates to hospitality.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has produced on modelling on the potential effect of the April 2026 business rates revaluation on small, independent pubs.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.
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 business rates liabilities on trends in levels of pub closures since 2010.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered reinstating higher levels of business rates relief for pubs and hospitality venues.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.
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 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.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences are currently present in the UK following completion of their custodial sentences.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Home Office does not centrally record the data as requested. However, the department does publish data on the numbers of terrorist offenders released from prison in Great Britain. This includes offenders released at the end of their sentence, as well as those released on licence. This is part of the official statistics publication on the Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Acts, which are published quarterly on gov.uk. A total of 41 terrorist prisoners were released from custody in Great Britain in the year ending 30 June 2025.
The UK has one of the strongest counter-terrorism frameworks in the world, including a range of powers to support the management of terrorist offenders upon their release. For example, terrorist offenders can be subject to strict licence conditions and must comply with notification requirements upon release, which allows the police and other authorities to monitor and manage any ongoing risk that they pose.
This legislative framework has been strengthened over recent years and we keep it under continuous review to ensure operational partners have the tools they need to manage the risk posed by terrorist offenders.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 95752 on Offenders and Undocumented migrants, what the roles of those 65 staff are.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The 65 staff are directly involved in tracing and resourcing for this activity is regularly reviewed. They work in partnership with the police, other government agencies, and commercial companies to identify information on a person that may help to progress the case.