Speeches by Tomlinson.

“It is important to note that the article in The Telegraph on the changes for rural pubs was about the fact that we published, with full transparency, the guidance used to value pubs that was signed off under the previous Government. This Government are cutting pubs’ business rates by 15% this year, freezing them for th…”

“I have spent some time in the Three Horseshoes!”

“It is a pleasure to speak under your chairship, Mrs Hobhouse. It is some of the most impressive I have seen in Westminster Hall, as you managed to keep this unruly lot to time. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East (Saqib Bhatti) for securing this debate and for his contribution on the importan…”

“I love an intervention like that one. We are looking at exactly that. Last year, in a call for evidence on how we can improve the business rate system to support investment, we set out that we would look at improvement relief. At the moment, it does give a relief if a business invests, but only for a short time. That i…”

“I thank the hon. Member for raising that issue; it is one that publicans in my constituency have raised with me as their MP. Of course, there are benefits to having a link with a major supplier, and I understand why many publicans choose that route, but it is clear that there are significant challenges, too. DBT has lo…”

“As I said, the Government have set out in the explanatory memorandum the fact that there will be an impact from the tariffs, from the 50% rate, but the Government’s view overall is that it is important to ensure that we have a strong and thriving domestic steel sector, which can help businesses here in the UK to weathe…”

“I have not managed to have that conversation, but the hon. Member is very welcome to write to me, and I am happy to consider those representations. Of course, I have heard calls from Members to cut VAT for hospitality, and I am aware that there is a campaign on that matter. I just say that cutting VAT for hospitality f…”

“We consider our policies in the round, on a sector-by-sector basis, as well as looking at measures tax by tax. The right hon. Gentleman is right that, as politicians in the Treasury, it is important for us to push the civil servants to make sure that we look not just at individual measures in silos, but at them in the …”

“Thank you, Mrs Hobhouse. We continue to look at the impact of tax policies across sectors. The Chancellor and I will keep tax policy under review in the run-up to the Budget later this year. Let me make a couple more points before wrapping up in sufficient time for the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East to concl…”

“Well, I didn’t quite say that.”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I am aware of the issue that he raises; I have met representatives of the sector in recent weeks to discuss it. It follows changes to case law over recent years, but it is of course an important issue that affects many businesses. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discu…”

“I am glad that the hon. Gentleman acknowledges that while Margaret Thatcher was in power she was taxing such businesses through business property relief more than this Labour Government. We have a fair and balanced approach when it comes to making sure that we can raise revenues from the very largest businesses, includ…”

“I agree with the right hon. Member that Reform’s rabble yesterday was deeply underwhelming. As for fuel duty, the rate is currently lower than it was at any point under the last Government, or, at least, it was never lower under the last Government than it is now. In real terms, it is lower than it has been at any poin…”

“Before the conflict in Iran started we saw inflation falling, we saw unemployment falling and we saw growth increasing by 0.5% in one month at the start of the year. That showed that our economic plan was the right plan for this country, and it is important that we stick to it rather than returning to the bad old days …”

“The reforms to business property relief maintain significant relief for owners of business assets. That is beyond what is available to others and is more generous than at any time under Margaret Thatcher, for example, when the rate of relief was a maximum of 50% on all business assets, including the first £2.5 million.…”

“When it comes to fuel duty, it is of course worth noting that it is lower today, in cash terms, than it has been in any year since 2009.”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his representations, and for the work that he is undertaking on behalf of his constituents in a rural part of our country. We are making sure that all garages are on the new fuel finder website that the Chancellor has introduced. That should drive up competition and make it easier for the peo…”

“We on the Labour Benches are fiscally responsible. We will make sure that we continue to get borrowing down in a sustainable way, as we did over the last financial year, when borrowing fell by £20 billion. Whenever the Conservatives have had the chance, they have borrowed more, which pushes up interest rates for famili…”

“My hon. Friend is right to say that we are seeing a continued uptake of electric vehicles—we saw that in March this year. More electric vehicles were purchased in March than in any month in British history, and we can see that take-up is continuing to increase. This Government are increasing and expanding the grants fo…”

“The Scottish National party has had ample opportunity in Scotland to invest in energy, to invest in energy infrastructure and to invest in the changes that we need in our economy to bring down energy bills, and when it comes to fuel duty—[Interruption.]”