Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of SumUp's UK Business Confidence Report 2025, and of the implications of those findings for policies relating to the cost pressures faced by small and independent retailers.

We recognise the challenges facing businesses at the moment. This is why we are taking action – including through creating a fairer business rates system which includes introducing permanently lower rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties.

We're protecting the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no employer NICs at all this year.

We also recognise the challenge in accessing the right skills which is why we've created Skills England, the new Growth and Skills Levy, the introduction of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, as well as qualifications reform and the Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, this Government is ensuring employers will be better supported to recruit and train the domestic workforce with the skills they need.

Finally, our Plan for small and medium-sized businesses aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to enable SMEs across the country to grow and thrive.