Dame Harriett Baldwin

Dame Harriett Baldwin

Conservative — West Worcestershire

Speaking in the House of Commons on 19 January 2026

Debate

Business Rates: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure

Contribution

The problem is that the November Red Book stated: “The high street will benefit from permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure”. Businesses up and down the land think that was entirely misleading. We have had briefings to the newspapers that there will be a change, but the Minister is saying that that is not happening, and that change will be made through the normal processes, which I interpret to mean in the next spring statement. Those in businesses are lying awake at night, worried about these increases, so can the Minister tell them when relief will be on its way?

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