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Written Question
Wholesale Trade: Non-domestic Rates
Friday 21st May 2021

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to include wholesalers in the guidance for local authorities for the administration of the new business rates relief fund.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.

Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.


Written Question
Wholesale Trade: Non-domestic Rates
Friday 21st May 2021

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including wholesalers in the guidance for local authorities on the administration of the new business rates relief fund.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.

Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.


Written Question
Wholesale Trade: Non-domestic Rates
Friday 21st May 2021

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he we will meet with the Federation of Wholesale Distributors to discuss practicalities involved with developing a business rates support system for businesses affected by the covid-19 outside the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.

Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.


Written Question
Non-domestic Rates: Coronavirus
Friday 21st May 2021

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals for business rates support to be granted to businesses affected by covid-19 outside the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.

Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.


Written Question
Wholesale Trade: Non-domestic Rates
Friday 21st May 2021

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the economic effect on the wholesale sector of the time taken to start the new business rates relief fund.

Answered by Jesse Norman

The Government has announced a £1.5 billion pot of additional business rates relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs. The statement by the Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government of 25 March 2021 explained the relief will be allocated to local authorities based on the stock of properties in the area and the sector-specific economic impacts of COVID-19.

Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that Local Authorities (LAs) should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis. Funding will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions has passed and LAs have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding.


Written Question
Hospitality Industry: Non-Domestic Rates
Friday 12th February 2021

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the valuation list of non-domestic business rates for hospitality businesses in view of the effect of the January 2021 covid-19 lockdown restrictions on that sector.

Answered by Jesse Norman

This year the Government has provided an unprecedented business rates holiday for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties due to the direct adverse effects of COVID-19, worth about £10 billion, and has frozen the business rates multiplier for all businesses for 2021-22.

The Government has provided various schemes to support firms, including wholesalers, including Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans, Bounce Back Loans, grants and VAT deferrals.

The Budget will set out the next phase of the Government’s plans to tackle the virus, protect jobs and support business.


Written Question
Hospitality Industry: Non-Domestic Rates
Friday 12th February 2021

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the re-introduction of business rates from 1 April 2021 on hospitality businesses.

Answered by Jesse Norman

This year the Government has provided an unprecedented business rates holiday for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties due to the direct adverse effects of COVID-19, worth about £10 billion, and has frozen the business rates multiplier for all businesses for 2021-22.

The Government has provided various schemes to support firms, including wholesalers, including Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans, Bounce Back Loans, grants and VAT deferrals.

The Budget will set out the next phase of the Government’s plans to tackle the virus, protect jobs and support business.


Written Question
Airports: Non-domestic Rates
Wednesday 25th November 2020

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending business rates relief to airports in England.

Answered by Jesse Norman

In response to COVID-19 the Government expanded on previous support for the high street to support those businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic and reductions in consumer footfall. A range of measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for business rates relief, has also been made available.

The Government recognises the challenging circumstances facing the aviation industry as a result of COVID-19. On 24 November the Government announced a package of financial support for English commercial airports and ground handlers. This support, which will shore up jobs and reinforce local economies, will be equivalent to the business rates liabilities of each business, up to a maximum of £8 million per site, and subject to certain conditions. This scheme will open in the New Year.

The Government has also announced that from 15 December, passengers returning to England from countries not on the travel corridor list will have the option to pay for and take a test after five days of self-isolation, with a negative test result releasing them from the rest of the self-isolation period. This new testing scheme will allow passengers to travel more freely, driving international business and supporting the travel industry as it continues to rebuild out of the pandemic.


Written Question
Airports: Non-domestic Rates
Wednesday 25th November 2020

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons airports in England were not included in the business rates relief plans for retail and hospitality businesses.

Answered by Jesse Norman

In response to COVID-19 the Government expanded on previous support for the high street to support those businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic and reductions in consumer footfall. A range of measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for business rates relief, has also been made available.

The Government recognises the challenging circumstances facing the aviation industry as a result of COVID-19. On 24 November the Government announced a package of financial support for English commercial airports and ground handlers. This support, which will shore up jobs and reinforce local economies, will be equivalent to the business rates liabilities of each business, up to a maximum of £8 million per site, and subject to certain conditions. This scheme will open in the New Year.

The Government has also announced that from 15 December, passengers returning to England from countries not on the travel corridor list will have the option to pay for and take a test after five days of self-isolation, with a negative test result releasing them from the rest of the self-isolation period. This new testing scheme will allow passengers to travel more freely, driving international business and supporting the travel industry as it continues to rebuild out of the pandemic.


Written Question
Air Passenger Duty
Monday 10th February 2020

Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of Air Passenger Duty on regional and international connectivity.

Answered by Simon Clarke

As announced on 14 January, HM Treasury is reviewing Air Passenger Duty to ensure regional connectivity is strengthened while meeting the UK’s climate change commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

HM Treasury is engaging with relevant departments as part of this review.