Oral QuestionMinistry of Defence

“What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of social mobility in the armed forces.”

Tabled: 28 January 2020Answered: 3 February 2020

Asked by

Chris Evans

Labour (Co-op) — Caerphilly

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Defence

Answer from Hansard

The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Dan Tomlinson)

I am very busy today, Mr Speaker, as ever. I thank the hon. Member for asking about business rates. She will know that we have already started the work of reforming the business rates system so that we can put in permanently lower multipliers for high street businesses. As part of tax update day, we will be consulting on ways to collect more of the VAT that online sellers dodge by making online marketplaces liable for VAT on both UK and overseas business sales of goods. We will put every penny of the additional revenue raised into improving the business rates system for high street businesses.