Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 37 of his Department's publication entitled, Spring Budget 2024: Policy Costings, published in March 2024, if he will publish the figures used by his Department for the size of the tax base in calculating those costings.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The policy costing was based on data reflecting business rates receipts and reliefs as reported by local authorities in the National Non-Domestic Rates forms, which are publicly available on the gov.uk website.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to question 1 of his Department's consultation on business rates avoidance and evasion, published in July 2023, and to page 37 of his Department's publication entitled, Spring Budget 2024: Policy Costings, published in March 2024, whether his Department made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the reset period for empty property relief to six months.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Responses to the Business Rates Avoidance and Evasion consultation made clear that avoidance of business rates through abuse of Empty Property Relief (EPR) is an area we need to take action on. Most respondents, and all those from local government, agreed that extending the EPR ‘reset period’ is an effective means of reducing rates avoidance. Extending the reset period to 13 weeks will help ensure a level playing field between ratepayers while maintaining support for landlords while they seek new tenants for vacant properties.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to question 1 of his Department's consultation on business rates avoidance and evasion, published in July 2023, and to page 37 of his Department's publication entitled, Spring Budget 2024: Policy Costings, published in March 2024, whether his Department made an estimate of the Exchequer impact of extending the reset period for empty property relief to six months.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Responses to the Business Rates Avoidance and Evasion consultation made clear that avoidance of business rates through abuse of Empty Property Relief (EPR) is an area we need to take action on. Most respondents, and all those from local government, agreed that extending the EPR ‘reset period’ is an effective means of reducing rates avoidance. Extending the reset period to 13 weeks will help ensure a level playing field between ratepayers while maintaining support for landlords while they seek new tenants for vacant properties.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will issue guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) water companies on their obligations to enforce sewage misconnection rectifications where the property owner does not rectify the faults as requested.

Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Under Section 59 of the Building Act 1984, local authorities can require property owners to rectify unsatisfactory drainage. If a property owner fails to act, the local authority can carry out the works itself and then recover its costs. The Secretary of State and his officials regularly meet with water companies to discuss their obligations, including around drainage performance.

Found: Negatived on division _NC1 James Murray  To move the following Clause— “Review of effects of