Dan Tomlinson

The 15% reduction will apply to all pubs. As the hon. Member knows, there are different caps for pubs depending on their size, but if bills had been frozen, no bill would have fallen next year. Instead, because we have decided to apply the 15% reduction, around 75% of pubs will see their bills either stay the same or fall. I acknowledge what she says about the very largest pubs, but we will still significantly reduce the increase that they would have expected this year. Their bills will then be frozen in full in years two and three of the period before the revaluation review—I am glad that the hon. Member is able to welcome that review. Its results will be implemented for future revaluations. The hon. Member mentioned temporary event notices. We are trying to implement the recommendations of the licensing review, which was carried out in conjunction with pubs and other businesses in the sector, so although she may think that changes such as these do not touch the sides or make a difference, pubs themselves told us that—in addition to ensuring that we could support them in the right way fiscally—such changes would be welcome. I hope that pubs that are able to make use of them will do so. The hon. Member also asked about the 20p multiplier. She is right that we legislated for a reduction of up to 20p, but we have to see these things in the balance. The decision to reduce the multiplier by 5p came with a £900 million price tag; reducing it by the full 20p would cost significantly more. Taken in the round, our package of support has a lower tax rate within the system—a lower multiplier—but also steps in with caps to support businesses if they are experiencing increases in their values or having to adjust to the slow unwinding of the pandemic relief. The hon. Member asked about VAT. All I will say—she will expect this—is that when the Liberal Democrats had the chance in government, they put VAT up; now, they seem to be calling for it to go down. Finally, on the question of what I knew and when, as the VOA set out, Ministers were provided with details of the increases in the valuations. However, at that time, we did not foresee—I did not foresee—that after the changes in the rateable values that were published at the Budget, pubs and their representative bodies would want to withdraw their support for the independently and previously agreed methodology. Given that and the Government’s judgment that there are issues, to which the hon. Member has referred, we thought it was right to pause, review the methodology and ensure that it is fit for the future for pubs and hotels.