A county MP has called for the Government to debate radical reforms to business rates to "bring our high streets back to life".
Speaking in the House of Commons on April 3, North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said high street retailers in her constituency have raised concerns of increasing rates and National Insurance Contributions (NIC).
Speaking in the House of Commons on April 3, North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said high street retailers in her constituency have raised concerns of increasing rates and National Insurance Contributions (NIC).
Category
đź—ž
NewsTranscript
00:00Hello, Morgan.
00:01Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
00:02Northropshire is home to some historic and beautiful market towns
00:05and I can recommend a visit over Easter.
00:08But I've been contacted by some high street retailers,
00:11particularly Niche Patisserie and the Carbon Garden Fruit and Veg Company,
00:15who are concerned about the double whammy of business rates increasing
00:19and NIC hikes happening this week.
00:22And they're worried about the impact on high streets,
00:24who are also facing the closure of post offices and banks.
00:27So could we have a debate in government time
00:29on how we radically reform business rates
00:31to bring our high streets back to life?
00:34Well, this government is committed to business rate reform.
00:38We've already taken through a piece of legislation
00:42that begins that process by creating a new lower level of business rates
00:47as well as a higher band as well
00:50for some of those much, much larger businesses.
00:53But there's further that we need to go.
00:56We have retained the discount into next year,
01:00but I appreciate that for high street businesses,
01:03for businesses in our town centres,
01:06these are difficult times.
01:08But this government is committed to ensure
01:10that we protect and support businesses and working people.
01:13And do...
01:14We've got a piece of business that has been approved for,
01:14for those of us who are going to do at revista.
01:18We've got a place that is connected to the increasing level of business rates,
01:19and then we have to see the Queen of the old land,
01:21and then we are going to pack up as a block as a block as a block as a block.
01:22So we've got a membership of it,
01:22so we've got to know that we're going to get to the building
01:24for the pandemic because of what our business is.
01:24And we're going to have to be done with it.
01:26So we've got to see the Paul's office about this.
01:27And we have to make the work of a piece of business,
01:29and we have to do a plan that we need to do a business before,
01:29and we have to continue doing something as a block as well as we go.