Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support hospitality businesses to maintain employment levels in the context of higher labour costs.

Hospitality businesses, including those in West Dorset constituency, are vital to our communities and support economic growth.

We’re increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, allowing 865,000 employers to pay no NICs this year. This means employers can hire up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs. Additionally, we aim to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000. We are also working with the Hospitality Sector Council on issues the sector faces.

We recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold hospitality businesses back. We are expecting recommendations before the Summer recess.