Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to mitigate the effect of increases in business rates on rural business in the tourism and hospitality industry.

The Government has put in place a £3.6 billion package of transitional relief to help businesses facing an increase following revaluation. The Budget on 8 March included a further package to support business. £110 million will be available to assist rate payers, including eligible rural businesses losing rural rate relief as a result of revaluation. In addition, the Government is making available a £300 million discretionary relief fund over the next four years to enable local authorities to help individual businesses that are having difficulties paying increased rates bills.