Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Minister of Finance in Northern Ireland on the length of business rates relief offered in Northern Ireland.

Business rates policy is devolved and the Northern Ireland Executive is receiving Barnett consequentials on business rate reliefs provided in England as part of the response to COVID-19.

HM Treasury ministers and officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the devolved administrations as part of the response to COVID-19, including most recently a meeting between the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Finance Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on 30 April.