Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates policy on rural engineering businesses that support agriculture, food production and rural infrastructure.

As a result of the 2025 Budget business rates support package, over half of ratepayers see no bill increases in 2026/27, including 23 per cent whose bills go down. Around a third of properties already pay no business rates as they receive 100 per cent Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR).

The budget support package is worth £4.3 billion and includes a supporting small business scheme capping bill increases for the smallest businesses losing some or all of their SBRR or rural rate relief.