Speeches by Tomlinson.

“I am always happy to look at and respond to the correspondence I receive from hon. Members. I am aware of the issue my hon. Friend raises, which she has been consistently raising in this House. We came forward at the Budget with a significant package of support, and many small and independent businesses are small enoug…”

“We want to work with the hotel sector on the review I have announced today. We will make sure it reports in time to be implemented by the Valuation Office Agency by the date of the next revaluation. For hotels at the very far end of the distribution of changes in rateable value—with an increase that large, I believe th…”

“I am sure that the consequentials and their implications will be set out as soon as is practically possible.”

“I very much agree with my hon. Friend. What happened in the past is in stark contrast to the reform of our business rates system under our Government. We have set out long-term differences in the multipliers—also known as the tax rates—faced by high-street businesses and those faced by the online giants and the largest…”

“Because of the interventions announced today, the total business rates bill for pubs will fall over the coming years. As the hon. Member mentions, we are giving individual pubs a 15% reduction on their new bills, and then a real-terms freeze for the next two years. That is a significant intervention because of the sign…”

“I really look forward to working with my hon. Friend on important matters such as the high street strategy, and I hope that he has been in conversation with his local authority and businesses about some of the other measures that the Government are introducing and the issues that are important to him. High street renta…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his advocacy on behalf of the pubs and businesses in his constituency. Concerns have been raised about the methodology. We have looked into that in recent weeks, and we think it is right to review it. That review will take place in the coming months. It will definitely report in time for the …”

“I would be happy to discuss that matter with my hon. Friend. Indoor play is a really valuable and growing part of our economy, but there are challenges. With more free childcare, it may be that fewer people are going in during the day, and I know that many indoor play centres have seen increases in their rateable value…”

“We have changed the tax rates, the multipliers, within the system so that a typical high street business may now pay 38p in the pound and an online retail giant may pay 51p in the pound on their rateable values. That is a significant underlying reform to the tax system that is here for good.”

“Yes, we will continue to work with pubs, because we do value them. I want to be clear, however, that we value all of the businesses on the high street. We value our hospitality businesses, our retail businesses and those that work in leisure and soft play, which I believe was mentioned earlier. All the different busine…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his engagement, persistence and advocacy on behalf of the businesses in his constituency. I know that he has had many conversations with businesses in his constituency, and he has been able to feed them directly to me as the Minister with responsibility for tax. I am sure that we will continu…”

“Because of the concerns around the methodology to value hotels, today we have announced that we will review that methodology so that, in time for the next revaluation, hotels can have a methodology that more appropriately works for their sector. The hon. Gentleman is right to point out that hotels have seen some of the…”

“I will continue to keep those important cultural and social assets in mind as we work on our policy for supporting businesses across the country.”

“My hon. Friend is a powerful and strong advocate both for the businesses in his constituency and for the hospitality sector more broadly. I thank him for our conversations; I think we spoke before Christmas as well as in recent weeks. I will of course continue to engage with him and the hospitality sector on tax issues…”

“We are, in the usual way, using long-standing definitions set out in business rates guidance to define pubs, and similar venues to which the relief will apply.”

“Very much so. We want to support legendary landlords. I have my own in my constituency, and I look forward to having a pint with them this weekend to discuss the changes that the Government have made.”

“We will not be considering the Liberal Democrats’ policy.”

“I hope the microphone picked that up. We will make further announcements this afternoon specifically focused on pubs, but I understand that there are businesses across the economy that will have seen increases in their rateable values since the pandemic. That is precisely why we have stepped in with our support package…”

“I do not think that was a question for me. It was a question for you, Mr Speaker.”

“Around one in three businesses will continue to benefit from small business rates relief, and so will pay nothing at all. As for independent shops that are above the threshold and in the business rates system, many just above the threshold will be on the taper, and others will benefit from the support that was set out …”