Speeches by Tomlinson.

“It is a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank the hon. Member for South Antrim (Robin Swann) for securing this debate on an important issue facing hospitality businesses in Northern Ireland and for his recent question to me in Treasury orals on the same topic. I look forward to meeting him to …”

“There are a whole range of challenges and also benefits from the protocol and the Windsor framework. I agree with the hon. Member that they do not provide constraints on the policy choice on VAT. I always find it frustrating when Ministers hide behind legal constraints that perhaps are not always there, and I want to b…”

“It is important that we return to the topic at hand, but I am very glad that my hon. Friend is happily married to, I am sure, a fantastic partner. The Government recognise the important contribution that hospitality businesses make to jobs, growth and local communities across Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom as …”

“Sitting suspended.”

“rose—”

“Right now, we are engaging in what could be seen as a similar proposal to the one put forward today. We are doing a time-limited reduction in VAT, not for one sector and one part of the country, but for particular leisure and hospitality activities and consumption across the country as a whole. I am sure that His Majes…”

“I will.”

“I will.”

“rose—”

“Sitting suspended.”

“It is a pleasure to speak in this debate with you in the Chair, Sir Christopher. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Peter Lamb) for raising this important issue today and for the work that he and neighbouring MPs, on a cross-party basis, have been doing to highlight the concerns that their constituents have…”

“(c) the implications of that rate for the security of energy supply; and”

“(3) The Chancellor of the Exchequer must lay the report containing the findings of the review before Parliament before 31 March 2028.”—(James Wild.)”

“(d) whether the Levy should continue to be charged at a rate of 55%.”

“(2) The report must, in particular, assess—”

““(1) The Treasury must review the impact of the increase in the Electricity Generator Levy rate to 55% under section 1.”

“(b) the effects of that rate on electricity prices, including consumer bills;”

“Brought up, and read the First time.”

“The shadow Exchequer Secretary seemed to suggest that the Opposition’s view is that we should not have introduced this change until wholesale contracts for difference have been consulted on and sorted out. The Opposition would choose to forgo the additional revenue that may come in if prices remain higher than the thre…”

“No. If prices are slightly above the threshold set in the electricity generator levy, as they are at the moment, I believe, those taxes will be due now, from 1 July, whether or not businesses make decisions down the line after the consultation, after engagement and after the detail of the wholesale contract for differe…”