Hospitality Sector

Caroline Dinenage Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Griffith]

All I can suggest, and I say this in all seriousness, is that the hon. Gentleman should spend a lot more time in local pubs in his constituency, because the people there will talk about the horror show that is the Employment Rights Bill. They will talk to him about the soaring business rates, the reduction in relief under this Government and the national insurance job tax—that swingeing £25 billion attack on the private economy.

[Dame Caroline Dinenage (Gosport) (Con)]

If we are going to exchange numbers, does my hon. Friend agree that it is shocking that over 1,000 pubs and restaurants have closed since the autumn Budget, and that 84,000 hospitality workers have lost their jobs? That is one in every 25 since the autumn Budget alone—and that was when the autumn Budget was actually in the autumn. Does he agree that that is having an impact on our high streets and the very viability of our local town centres and that it needs to stop? The Government need to stop holding our hospitality sector responsible for everything that happens in the local economy.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. We must keep interventions short. We have close to 50 people trying to contribute today.