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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to delay proposals to allow local authorities to keep 75 per cent of business rates income until the Treasury’s fundamental review of business rates has reported.

The Government has?confirmed that 75 per cent business rates retention will not be implemented in 2021-22.??This decision was taken to allow both the Government and councils to focus on meeting the immediate public health challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Looking beyond 2021-22, in determining the next steps, we will need to consider the impact the pandemic has had on both the demand for public services across councils, and their access to local resources. This will also require a careful consideration of the link between the fundamental review of business rates and the future of the business rates retention policy.

We will set out the timetable for our proposed way forward in due course.