Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering revising the implementation timetable of the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

There will be several phases of delivery following Royal Assent of the Employment Rights Bill. For many measures, Government will consult on the detail of policy and implementation. As set out in the Implementation Roadmap, we will provide more detail on these policies and our timelines for implementation following consultation, with a clear commitment that we aim to work at pace to deliver these tangible benefits to millions of working people.

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%.

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%.

Found: because of the need for flexibility: Hansard HL Deb, vol 826, cols 972–973, 19 December 2022 (Lord Sharpe of Epsom

Found: because of the need for flexibility: Hansard HL Deb, vol 826, cols 972–973, 19 December 2022 (Lord Sharpe of Epsom