Jan. 15 2024
Source Page: GIAA senior officials expenses and hospitality Q2 2023-24Found: GIAA senior officials expenses and hospitality Q2 2023-24
Dec. 19 2023
Source Page: Non-domestic rates income statisticsFound: 22 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)The Scottish Fiscal Commission produce forecasts of NDR income at fiscal events
Mar. 21 2024
Source Page: NIO: Senior officials’ business expenses and hospitality, October - December 2023Found: NIO: Senior officials’ business expenses and hospitality, October - December 2023
Asked by: Ewing, Fergus (Scottish National Party - Inverness and Nairn)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Cabinet Secretary for Finance has reportedly declined to meet the Scottish Hospitality Group to hear its case for provision to be made in the Budget for 2024-25 to match that provided to hospitality businesses in England.
Answered by Robison, Shona - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance
Scottish Ministers met with the Scottish Hospitality Group on several occasions in advance of the Scottish Budget 2024-25.
The Scottish Hospitality Group are represented on the New Deal for Business Non-Domestic Rates consultative sub-group which is chaired by the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance who has portfolio responsibility for non-domestic rates. The sub-group has met regularly, and the meetings of 3 October and 24 November provided the opportunity for members, including the Scottish Hospitality Group, to share their views specifically on non-domestic rates in advance of the Scottish Budget 2024-25. The Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance also met with members of the Scottish Hospitality Group’s board on 12 December to discuss the Scottish Budget 2024-25.
On 29 November, the Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade met with the Scottish Hospitality Group and other key hospitality bodies to hear first-hand about the current issues facing the sector.Ministers value the insights provided by the trade bodies representing hospitality businesses and are aware of their asks and concerns.
Mar. 21 2024
Source Page: NIO: Special Advisers' Gifts, Hospitality and Meetings, October - December 2023Found: NIO: Special Advisers' Gifts, Hospitality and Meetings, October - December 2023
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with hospitality businesses in Wales on commercial energy costs.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
My officials and I regularly meet with businesses across Wales, including those in the hospitality sector, to discuss a variety of issues.
The Government provided an unprecedented package of support of £7.4 billion through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) which ended on 31 March 2023, shielding businesses and saving some around half of their wholesale energy cost.
The EBRS was replaced by the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS), which provides support to all eligible non-domestic energy users paying the highest energy prices starting from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Since the scheme was introduced, wholesale energy prices have now fallen significantly, and inflation has fallen from its peak of 11.1% to 4%.
In addition, at Autumn Statement 2023, the government announced that it is freezing Climate Change Levy rates for 2025-26 to continue achieving CCL’s environmental objectives without increasing the impact to businesses’ energy bills.
The UK Government is providing further support to the hospitality sector by freezing alcohol duty until August 2024, and increasing the new Draught Relief duty from the initially proposed 5% to 9.2%. In addition, in England, we have extended the 75% relief on business rates available to hospitality, retail and leisure businesses. I am concerned about the impact of the cut to non-domestic rates relief for hospitality businesses proposed by the Welsh Government in their recent draft budget.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) hospitality and (b) retail stakeholders on business rates.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The subject of business rates, along with wider financial challenges, are regularly raised during individual stakeholder and roundtable calls. Industry concerns are shared across Government including Treasury.
Both the Hospitality Sector Council and Retail Sector Council have established working groups that are exploring issues to address key concerns, including costs to business. The Retail Sector Council submitted evidence to HM Treasury as part of a call for evidence into Treasury’s previous review of the business rates system.
At Autumn Statement 2023, the Chancellor announced a package of business rates support worth £4.3 billion over the next 5 years, for hospitality, retail and leisure businesses.
Mar. 21 2024
Source Page: DCMS: Ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meeting Q3 23/24Found: DCMS: Ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meeting Q3 23/24
Feb. 08 2024
Source Page: National Buildings Database phase 1: non-domestic building stock in England and WalesFound: National Buildings Database phase 1: non-domestic building stock in England and Wales
Written Evidence Apr. 16 2024
Inquiry: High streets in towns and small citiesFound: HSC0018 - High streets in towns and small cities British Beer and Pub Association Written Evidence