Business Rates

Debate between Toby Perkins and Yasmin Qureshi

Wednesday 4th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) (Lab)]

Is my hon. Friend aware that a recent business survey by the Forum of Private Business found that action on business rates was small companies’ No. 1 demand, and that John Allan, the chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, has welcomed Labour’s consistent argument and demand for a freeze on business rates?

[Toby Perkins]

That is an incredibly important point. When Members take interventions, we often worry that it will add to the length of our contributions, but when they include things that we were about to say, it saves us all a bit of time. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that point.