Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the additional revenue councils will receive from local business rates as a result of devolution deals.

The Government has announced that, by the end of the Parliament, we will give all local councils new responsibilities in return for keeping 100% of locally raised business rates. In advance of 100% retention, devolution deals are already giving some areas the ability to keep 100% of the actual growth in business rates they achieve above a pre-determined baseline. This will give them an added incentive to grow their local economies and increase their income from business rates.