Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the responses by private sector businesses to the first 12 months since the publication of the General Product Safety Regulations in December 2024.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In light of the feedback from businesses on the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), the Department has reviewed and updated guidance for businesses and supported businesses through extensive engagement, our Business Growth Service and the Export Support Directory. The Government announced a £16.6 million package to help boost trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, including a ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service for businesses. We also intend to consult early this year on major reforms to the UK product safety framework. Our proposals will take account of feedback received from businesses on GPSR in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
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 review the cumulative effect of operating costs, including energy, staffing, compliance, and taxation, on the viability of hospitality businesses; and what consultations he is having with industry representatives on those matters.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department works closely with hospitality businesses to assess impact of rising operating costs across energy, staffing, compliance and taxation.
This includes regular engagement with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council which provides a formal forum to co-create solutions to pressures facing the industry.
We also maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as UKHospitality and the British Beer and Pub Association, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long-term stability.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered freezing rateable values for small businesses at 2023 levels pending a full review of the business rates system.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.
The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The Government is also supporting small businesses to grow. At Budget, the Government announced the extension of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) so that businesses opening second premises can retain their SBRR for three years, tripling the current allowance.
The Government also published a Call for Evidence at Budget which explores how reform of the business rates system can be used to incentivise investment. This Call for Evidence builds on the findings set out in the Transforming Business Rates: Interim Report, which was based on written evidence from 141 stakeholders and engagement with 230 organisations.
Any reforms taken forward will be phased over the course of the Parliament.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration has been given to increasing permanent business rates relief for small and community-facing businesses.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.
The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The Government is also supporting small businesses to grow. At Budget, the Government announced the extension of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) so that businesses opening second premises can retain their SBRR for three years, tripling the current allowance.
The Government also published a Call for Evidence at Budget which explores how reform of the business rates system can be used to incentivise investment. This Call for Evidence builds on the findings set out in the Transforming Business Rates: Interim Report, which was based on written evidence from 141 stakeholders and engagement with 230 organisations.
Any reforms taken forward will be phased over the course of the Parliament.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will undertake a full review of the business rates system.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.
The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The Government is also supporting small businesses to grow. At Budget, the Government announced the extension of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) so that businesses opening second premises can retain their SBRR for three years, tripling the current allowance.
The Government also published a Call for Evidence at Budget which explores how reform of the business rates system can be used to incentivise investment. This Call for Evidence builds on the findings set out in the Transforming Business Rates: Interim Report, which was based on written evidence from 141 stakeholders and engagement with 230 organisations.
Any reforms taken forward will be phased over the course of the Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consulted representatives of the hospitality and pub sectors before finalising the changes to business-rates multipliers and reliefs contained in the 2025 Budget; and what plans they have to engage with industry bodies on this subject.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government carried out engagement with a range of stakeholders on business rates ahead of the budget and continues to do so.
The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.
At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
Without Government support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. However, because of the support the Government has put in place, this has fallen to just 4%.
Asked by: Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of analysis conducted by UKHospitality indicating that, over the next three years, the average pub will pay an additional £12,900 in business rates.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government carried out engagement with a range of stakeholders on business rates ahead of the budget and continues to do so.
The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.
At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
Without Government support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. However, because of the support the Government has put in place, this has fallen to just 4%.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Food Standard Agency’s official control charges on the viability of small and medium sized abattoirs.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Information on the 2025/26 charge rates for official controls, or inspections, conducted in meat premises is available on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) website at the following link:
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/charges-for-controls-in-meat-premises
As in previous years, the impact of charges will be offset by a discount which provides the greatest proportional support to smaller businesses. The impact of the discount on different sized food businesses in England and Wales for 2025/26 is set out in the Cost Data Slides the FSA has published.
The FSA has conducted an evaluation of the current discount scheme which began with a Call for Evidence in autumn 2024. Extensive stakeholder engagement and consideration by the FSA Board in its public meetings has followed which has informed proposals for a revised scheme. At its public meeting on 10 December, the FSA Board agreed to a full public consultation on proposals for a scheme that would direct more targeted support towards smaller abattoirs. The consultation is planned for spring 2026 and will be accompanied by an assessment of impact.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the quality and supply of industry placements for T Levels.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
T Levels are providing fantastic opportunities for young people to progress into skilled jobs and careers, and 96% of students completed their industry placement last year.
The department supports employers to host high quality placements through guidance, workshops and direct support. The department’s digital ’Connect’ service supports local providers and employers to connect with each other and our updated delivery approaches allow greater flexibility for providers to design a high quality placement experience.
We provide targeted support for industry placements in specific areas, with seven industry placement coordinators currently in local NHS integrated care systems, and an employer support fund supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and priority sectors with the essential costs of hosting a placement.
The national ’Skills for Life’ campaign raises awareness of skills development and promotes T Levels, ensuring businesses and learners understand their value, and our network of over 1,000 T Level Ambassadors builds T Level understanding and engagement in the business community.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the economic stability and continued growth of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I met Premier Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands at the recent Joint Ministerial Council (JMC). Total trade between the UK and the Overseas Territories is worth around £17 billion annually, supported by tariff-free access to the UK for Overseas Territory exporters. The JMC included sessions with British Expertise International, UK Export Finance and a business engagement and networking event with UK companies. Supporting economic growth and diversification is a key UK Government priority.
Business licensing is a devolved matter for the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.