Written questions by Clifton-Brown.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the business rate multiplier by 20p for all hereditaments in England used for retail, hospitality and leisure with a rateable value of (a) under £51,000 and (b) £51,000 to £499,999 on business rate income (i) including and (ii) excluding the (A) existing and (B) planned Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief scheme in the (1) 2023-24, (2) 2024-25 and (3) 2025-26 financial year.

The Government will confirm the rates for the new multipliers at Budget 2025, taking account of the outcomes of the 2026 revaluation as well as the broader economic and fiscal context. Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions. Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025 – to take effect in the 2026-27 billing year – HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Whether she has used powers under section 44 of the Police Act 1996 to require Chief Constables to provide information on the time taken by firearms licensing departments to process (a) grants and (b) renewals for (i) shotguns and (ii) section 1 firearms.

The issuing of firearms certificates and the efficiency of police forces is a matter for individual Chief Constables, who are held to account by Police and Crime Commissioners.However, the performance of forces in this space is being actively monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for firearms licensing, Deputy Chief Constable David Gardner, and both he and his predecessor have been working actively with forces on performance related issues.

How many hereditaments used for hospitality in England had a rateable value of £500,000 or above on 29 January 2025.

The information requested is provided in the Valuation Office Agency’s Non Domestic Rating Stock of Properties publication available on gov.uk.

How many hereditaments in England that are not used for retail, hospitality or leisure had a rateable value of £500,000 or above on 29 January 2025.

The information requested is provided in the Valuation Office Agency’s Non Domestic Rating Stock of Properties publication available on gov.uk.

How many hereditaments used for (a) distribution and (b) warehousing in England had a rateable value of £500,000 or above on 29 January 2025.

The information requested is provided in the Valuation Office Agency’s Non Domestic Rating Stock of Properties publication available on gov.uk.

How many hereditaments used for retail in England had a rateable value of £500,000 or above on 29 January 2025.

The information requested is provided in the Valuation Office Agency’s Non Domestic Rating Stock of Properties publication available on gov.uk.

How many hereditaments used for leisure in England had a rateable value of £500,000 or above on 29 January 2025.

The information requested is provided in the Valuation Office Agency’s Non Domestic Rating Stock of Properties publication available on gov.uk.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the recommendations of the review entitled The review for implementation of Schedule 3 to The Flood and Water Management Act 2010, published in January 2023, what ste

The Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, reduc...

How many hereditaments used for (a) retail, (b) hospitality and (c) leisure in England have a rateable value of (i) £51,000 or below, (ii) between £51,001 and £499,999 and (iii) £500,000 or above.

The Valuation Office Agency’s official statistics publication Non Domestic Rating Stock of Properties provides details of hereditaments by special category code and rateable value.

If she will take steps to ensure that the rise in employer National Insurance contributions does not apply to hospices.

Resource spending for the Department of Health and Social Care is set to increase by £22.6 billion in 2025-26 compared to 2023-24 outturn, providing a real-terms growth rate of 4% for the NHS, the largest since before 2010 excluding Covid-19 years. The Go...

If she will take steps to ensure that the rise in employer National Insurance contributions does not apply to general practices.

Resource spending for the Department of Health and Social Care is set to increase by £22.6 billion in 2025-26 compared to 2023-24 outturn, providing a real-terms growth rate of 4% for the NHS, the largest since before 2010 excluding Covid-19 years. The Go...