Member

My consequential Amendment 34 seeks to require that this review be published at least three months before the new business rates begin. If the Government are going to change the business rates system in this way, it is important that we know what the impact of the change is likely to be. This concern is shared across the House, as evidenced by the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Fox—I appreciate that he will be supporting this—which calls for an impact assessment. This is an important amendment and I hope noble Lords will understand why the cliff-edge threshold will likely have negative impacts on investments. I look forward to the Minister’s response and I hope he will accept it: if he does not, I intend to test the opinion of the House.