Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill [Lords]
Debate between Alison McGovern and Saqib BhattiThursday 11th June 2020
(3 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Birmingham Commonwealth Games Act 2020 View all Birmingham Commonwealth Games Act 2020 Debates Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts Amendment Paper: Consideration of Bill Amendments as at 11 June 2020 - large font accessible version - (11 Jun 2020)
Alison McGovern
My hon. Friend, with her experience, makes a very good argument: it is important that we spread the burden. In any case—
Alison McGovern
If Members want to make arguments against taxation, who am I to stop them?
Saqib Bhatti
Prior to entering the House, I was the president of the Greater Birmingham chambers of commerce—
Saqib Bhatti
I realised that as soon as I said it, so I appreciate that intervention.
The hon. Member has said that the coronavirus has impacted jobs. Surely an additional levy—an additional cost—impacting demand is not something that businesses in the west midlands would want.
Alison McGovern
I welcome the hon. Member to the House. He has worked in the service of a city and a region of our country that is one of the finest anywhere, so I applaud his work in that. I simply disagree with him. I am sure he is right about the situation that tourism businesses are in. The problem is that we need local authorities to be sustainable, so that they can provide the environment in which those tourism businesses can succeed.