Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment has he made of the adequacy of Government support for tied pubs.

Pubs are central to local life, which is why we’ve delivered permanent business‑rates cuts for hospitality, retail and leisure businesses and are providing £4.3bn to shield ratepayers from bill increases following the revaluation. On top of this support, the Chancellor announced a 15% reduction in pubs’ new business‑rates bills from April, and their bills will be frozen for two years. Pubs will pay 8% less in business rates in 2029 than they do right now.

We are also pressing ahead with further licensing and planning reforms to help pubs, whilst providing £10 million over the next three years that could support over 1000 pubs diversify.

For tied pubs, the Government is conducting a statutory review into the operation of the Pubs Code and the Performance of the Pubs Code Adjudicator.