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Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Ben Maguire
Main Page: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)Department Debates - View all Ben Maguire's debates with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(2 days, 22 hours ago)
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Ben Maguire (North Cornwall) (LD)
The Government have now baked the £20 million-a-year second homes council tax premium into their core funding; but business rates loopholes, which were increased in the recent Budget, make those payments easily avoidable, so that revenue cannot be relied on consistently. Will the Minister meet the six Cornish MPs to ensure that Cornwall benefits from the second home council tax premium?
Jim McMahon
There is definitely a pattern, particularly among short-term lets, of transferring to business rates to avoid paying council tax; that is why we need the short-term lets register that Members have spoken about today. I would be happy to meet Cornish MPs as a group to talk this through further.