Written questions by Cane.

Whether she plans to reform business rates for the hospitality sector.

In April 2026, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with ratable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible hospitality businesses, including pubs, benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, the Government prevented RHL business rates relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. Business rates are a vital source of Local Government funding and support critical local services, including children's and adult social care. As such, the Government has no plans to abolish business rates for pubs. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption that applies to most goods and services.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 September to Question 74875 on Horse racing: Gambling, if her Department will publish any assessment they have made to date.

The Government makes tax policy decisions at fiscal events. If any changes are made to gambling duties at Budget, legislation will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.

What steps she is taking to grow the economy in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

The Government’s approach to regional growth will drive growth in city regions, towns and communities and make the most of the opportunities in each part of the country, to make everyone better off. There is excellence right across the country and this government is backing it: lifting living standards and putting more money in people’s pockets. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) will receive £37.9 million in Local Transport Grant funding enabling local authorities to deliver transport improvements including more zero emission buses, cycleways, accessibility and congestion improvement measures. This will deliver a four-fold increase in funding in 2029-30 compared to 2024-25. Ely and East Cambridgeshire residents will also benefit from the Government’s commitment to growth in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor to accelerate infrastructure investment, unlock new housing and commercial space, and strengthen partnerships with both private sector and local leaders. This also includes £2.5 billion for continued delivery of East-West Rail, providing new connectivity and unlocking growth across the corridor.

What discussions her Department had with stakeholders in the horseracing industry prior to the Government's consultation on gambling tax simplification being launched.

As part of the consultation process, the Government engaged with a wide range of stakeholders. We are working with representatives of the horseracing industry to identify any potential unintended consequences for the sector, and how they might be mitigated.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of harmonising gambling tax rates on the horseracing industry.

The Government consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Autumn Budget 2025.If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, they will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Act 2025 on small and medium sized businesses.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts. The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from the changes to employer NICs by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Act on small high-street businesses.

The Non-Domestic Rating (Private Schools and Multipliers) Act gained Royal Assent on 3 April, giving the Government powers to introduce the new multipliers announced at Autumn Budget 2024, and removing charitable rate relief for private schools. The new multipliers include permanently lower tax rates for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties with Rateable Values below £500,000 from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties on 2026/27 – those with Rateable Values (RVs) of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants. The rates for these new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the expected effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the Digital Services Tax.

While the Government keeps all tax policy under review, we have no plans to raise the rate of the Digital Services Tax (DST).The UK remains committed to removing the DST once a global solution on the taxation of the digital economy through Pillar 1 of the G20-OECD Inclusive Framework project is in place.

What assessment she has of the potential merits of introducing a national financial inclusion strategy.

On 5 December, the Government announced its intention to publish a Financial Inclusion Strategy, developed alongside a supporting Committee. The Financial Inclusion Committee’s mission is to tackle barriers to individual and households’ ability to access affordable and appropriate financial products and services. Through this committee, I am working with consumer groups and industry to develop, coordinate and implement interventions to support financial inclusion in the UK, ahead of the publication of a strategy later this year.

What fiscal steps she is taking to increase growth in rural areas.

Kick starting economic growth, including in rural areas, is the number one mission of this Government so we can put more money in people’s pockets. A prosperous rural economy will be underpinned by strong public services, improvements to rural connectivity and productivity, and a thriving farming sector.To this end, we are restoring stability and investment in our public services as the best way to support economic growth across the country, including in rural areas. We confirmed investment of over £500 million this year to continue to deliver Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network, driving the rollout of broadband and 4G connectivity, which will support growth in rural areas across the UK. We confirmed over £650 million of funding for local transport beyond our City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements, in 2025-26, to ensure that transport connections improve in our towns, villages and rural areas.We have also committed £5 billion to the farming budget over two years – which includes the largest ever amount of funding directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.

What fiscal steps she is taking to support family farmers.

The Government is investing £5bn across this year and next to support the transition to a more sustainable and productive sector which will help ensure its long-term profitability. This includes a £60m payment to help farmers deal with the devastating impact flooding has had across the country.

What assessment she has made of the increase in the rate of employers' National Insurance contributions on trends in the level of economic growth.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer; the economic impacts of the policy; and the impacts on individuals, businesses, civil society organisations and an overview of the equality impacts. The Office for Budget Responsibility also published the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), which sets out in detail their assessment of the impact of the policy on the economy and public finances.