Business Rates

Debate between Samantha Niblett and Dan Tomlinson

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dan Tomlinson]

We were aware of the changes to rateable values that were going to be published at the Budget, which is why we came forward with a significant package of support to help businesses adjust to their new values. For example, yesterday, Waterstones came out to express its support for our changes to business rates, because the lower multipliers that we have put into the system will support its business. Businesses across the country are benefiting from those lower multipliers. As I have said, more than half are seeing their bills either flat or falling. We have also put in place significant transitional relief support, with caps this year, next year and the year after. That is because we were aware of the effect of the changes to valuation, although I was not aware of what would happen subsequently with the pubs and their views. I have engaged with them on the methodology, and because of that we are launching this review. We think it is right to look carefully at that methodology.

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

Last Friday, I met Laura at the Malt in Aston-on-Trent. She started as a pot washer, went to university, worked the whole way through and is now a tenanted landlady. She shared the amount of hours she works, and she will welcome the review of the business rates methodology, not least because she feels that she works all the hours God sends and she was due to have to pay a lot more. Will the Treasury look at a couple of key bits of feedback that she gave me? One is about prices for alcohol in supermarkets. She could have longer licensing hours, but she cannot compete with people staying at home drinking. The other was about a cardboard tax. She has to pay for packaging for brewery deliveries, but she also has to pay local councils to pick up the packaging, so she would welcome something where the breweries reuse existing crates.

[Dan Tomlinson]

I thank my hon. Friend for her engagement on behalf of the businesses in her constituency. She raises some interesting issues on tax, regulation and licensing when it comes to pubs and hospitality. I do not want to pre-empt the work of the high street strategy, which will be a cross-Government effort with the Home Office, the Department for Business and Trade, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Treasury working together, but we want to hear about these things from businesses on the ground. I look forward to engaging with Members of Parliament from all parties as we work on the strategy in the coming months.