Written questions by Stone.

What steps she is taking through the tax system to support the hospitality sector.

The hospitality sector plays a vital role in the UK economy, providing jobs and supporting local high streets and communities. That is why the government announced a range of measures at Autumn Budget to support businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. These include: Extending the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) business rate relief for one year at 40% (up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business). This will benefit over 250,000 properties.Freezing the small business multiplier (applied to properties with a rateable value below £51,000) for 2025-26. Taken together with Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR), over a million properties will be protected from inflationary bill increases.Protecting the smallest employers, many of whom are in the hospitality sector, by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500.Cutting duty on qualifying draught products – approximately 60% of alcoholic drinks sold in pubs – to cut 1p off the duty on an average strength pint.In addition, the Corporate Tax Roadmap provides the stability needed by businesses to make investments. We keep all taxes under review and continue to explore ways to support the UK’s vital hospitality sector.

Whether she has made an assessment of the recent increase in motor insurance premiums.

Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment on the likelihood of a claim being made and the cost of those claims. Motor insurance premiums have been affected by specific economic factors that increased the costs of claims, such as the rising cost of replacement car partsHowever, the Government is determined that insurers treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The FCA requires firms to ensure their products offer fair value (i.e. if the price a consumer pays for a product or service is reasonable compared to the overall benefits they can expect to receive).On 16 October, the FCA announced a package of work in the insurance market amid concerns about rising prices. This includes a market study on premium finance – a form of credit that allows insurance customers to spread the upfront annual cost of their premium. On the same day, the Government launched a cross-Government taskforce on motor insurance. This Taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of regulation of motor insurers in the context of increases in premiums.

Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment on the likelihood of a claim being made and the cost of those claims. Motor insurance premiums have been affected by specific economic factors that increased the costs of claims, such as the rising cost of replacement car partsHowever, the Government is determined that insurers treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The FCA requires firms to ensure their products offer fair value (i.e. if the price a consumer pays for a product or service is reasonable compared to the overall benefits they can expect to receive).On 16 October, the FCA announced a package of work in the insurance market amid concerns about rising prices. This includes a market study on premium finance – a form of credit that allows insurance customers to spread the upfront annual cost of their premium. On the same day, the Government launched a cross-Government taskforce on motor insurance. This Taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover.

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

A prosperous rural economy will be underpinned by improvements to rural connectivity and productivity, the availability of affordable energy and access to services. To this end, the UK Government is investing £5 billion in broadband connectivity which will support growth in rural areas across the UK.We are also providing more than £3 billion of UK-wide funding this year to farmers and land managers, supporting rural prosperity.