Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the report by the Music Venue Trust entitled Annual Report 2024, published on 24 January 2025, on the potential impact of the reduction in business rate relief on (a) grassroots music venues and (b) jobs.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including grassroots music venues, with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.
In the interim period, for 2025-26, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.
The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. As set out above, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties from 2026-27.
The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing Business Rate Relief from 75% to 40% on Grassroots Music Venues.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including grassroots music venues, with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.
In the interim period, for 2025-26, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.
The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. As set out above, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties from 2026-27.
The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 35862 on Beer: Excise Duties, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of variations in (a) beer and (b) other alcohol taxation policy in the (i) UK and (ii) Europe.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the changes to alcohol duty announced at Autumn Budget. This is available here: Alcohol Duty uprating - GOV.UK
As with all taxes, the Government keeps alcohol duty rates under review during its Budget process.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing grassroots music venues from the business rates system.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including grassroots music venues with Rateable Values below £500,00, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.
In the interim period, for 2025-26, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.
The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. That is why the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street RHL properties from 2026-27.
The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Business Rates Relief on grassroots music venues.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including grassroots music venues with Rateable Values below £500,00, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.
In the interim period, for 2025-26, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.
The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. That is why the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street RHL properties from 2026-27.
The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will ensure that (a) Disability Living Allowance, (b) Personal Independence Payment, (c) SEND support funding and (d) other benefits for (i) children and (ii) their families are not reduced in the Spring Statement 2025.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The OBR’s spring forecast will take place on 26th March and be accompanied by a statement to Parliament from the Chancellor. Ahead of the statement responding to the forecast, the Government will not give a running commentary on economic developments.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to enable the repurposing of assets seized from sanctions violations to fund reparations for victims of serious (a) human rights and humanitarian law violations and (b) corruption.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
UK sanctions legislation does not provide powers to seize frozen assets. Assets owned or controlled by a designated person are frozen immediately by the person in possession or control of them. An asset freeze does not involve a change in ownership of the frozen funds or economic resources, nor are they transferred to HM Treasury.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make a comparative assessment of the rate of Beer Duty (a) in the UK and (b) in Europe.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
There is significant variation in alcohol taxation policy amongst European countries, with some countries having lower alcohol duty rates and some having higher rates.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the value of goods traded from the UK to third countries with a final destination in Russia.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.
HMRC only holds information on the initial country of destination for exports, that is the country which the goods first move to. Information on whether goods then move on to a further country, such as Russia, is not collected and no estimate can be produced.
The information we have on UK trade is released monthly, as an accredited Official Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria.
If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make a comparative assessment of taxation on (a) bio fuel and (b) fossil fuels.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The UK taxes fuels for a variety of reasons, and tax revenues from fuel are a vital part of overall tax revenues which are used to fund public services. Tax treatment does not generally differ between biofuels and fossil fuels.
The government also ensures the tax system supports climate goals through measures such as the Carbon Price Support and Climate Change Levy.