Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on investment in licensed premises of higher business rates on the licensed premises sector.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
A £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme will provide support for the minority of properties which face an increase in rates as a result of the 2017 revaluation.
My Department is working closely with the Treasury to determine how best to provide further support to businesses facing the steepest increases. We expect to be in a position to make an announcement on this at the Budget, in just two weeks.
At Budget 2016, the Government announced a £6.7 billion package of business rate cuts. This included the doubling of small business rate relief and an increase in the thresholds for relief. As a result, 600,000 small businesses, including eligible licensed premises, will pay no rates at all.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is planning to provide to licensed premises to mitigate any effects of the potential increase in business rates for such premises.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
A £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme will provide support for the minority of properties which face an increase in rates as a result of the 2017 revaluation.
My Department is working closely with the Treasury to determine how best to provide further support to businesses facing the steepest increases. We expect to be in a position to make an announcement on this at the Budget, in just two weeks.
At Budget 2016, the Government announced a £6.7 billion package of business rate cuts. This included the doubling of small business rate relief and an increase in the thresholds for relief. As a result, 600,000 small businesses, including eligible licensed premises, will pay no rates at all.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the recommendations set out in the Casey Review, if he will ensure that changes in the level of immigration are taken into account in the forthcoming fair funding review on local government finance.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The Fair Funding Review is conducting a thorough review of what the relative needs assessment formula for local councils should be in a world in which local government spending is funded by local resources not central grant and will set the baselines for 100% Business Rates Retention system. One of the key areas of work for the review is to look at the available evidence about what factors drive the costs local councils face. The Review is considering a number of factors including how to take into account changes in local populations.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the differences are between the purpose and use of the Migration Impact Fund and the Controlling Migration Fund; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
As set out in the published prospectus, we have been clear that the new Controlling Migration Fund is about supporting established resident communities coming under pressure from migration, and reflecting locally identified priorities. It also specifically supports action to tackle issues associated with illegal migration, by better enabling local authorities to inform immigration enforcement priorities.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish his Department's response to the Parking Reform: Tackling Unfair Practices consultation.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
We have set out a clear manifesto commitment to tackle aggressive parking enforcement and excessive parking charges, and taking steps to tackle rogue and unfair practices by private parking operators. This government has put in place a range of measures to reform the behaviour of private parking companies, including the banning of wheel clamping and towing.
The Government is committed to reforming unfair parking practices and supporting our town centres. The discussion paper ‘Parking reform: tackling unfair practices’ sought thoughts and comments on the private parking sector. My Department published a summary of the responses on 11 May 2016. I am considering responses to the discussion paper, and options for reform.