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WILLIAMS TO FIGHT BUSINESS RATE INCREASE PROPOSALS
February 19, 2009 12:57 PM
Brecon & Radnorshire's Liberal Democrat MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Roger Williams, has pledged to fight against a proposed massive 4.9% increases in business rates in 2009/10, which he says, if implemented, will cause immense damage to Welsh businesses already struggling in the economic downturn.
Mr. Williams has consistently highlighted the plight of small and medium sized businesses in Parliament and the burden that business rates are placing on them, challenging the Secretary of State for Wales at Welsh Questions and raising the issue in Westminster Hall debates.
Commenting on the proposal, which is based on current regulations that state that the adjustment to business rates must match the change to the retail price index (RPI) in September of the previous year, Mr. Williams said:
" The Government must take action now, in what are exceptional economic circumstances, to set aside the regulations. Last September the RPI was 4.9% and there were worries about inflation taking off. Now the RPI is just 0.1%, businesses are facing an unprecedented credit squeeze and falling demand for their products from consumers. Jobs are being lost daily. This is not the time to be placing extra burdens on businesses."
" I am writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Deputy First Minister at the Welsh Assembly Government about this very serious situation and will be raising it when Parliament returns next week. Although local authorities were originally informed of this increase last autumn, I and many other MPs were hoping that action would already have been taken by the Government to address the problem. As things stand that is not the case. With the Budget fast approaching, now is the time to raise this issue again. The Chancellor has an opportunity through the Budget process to take action to relieve businesses of a burden that is threatening the future of so many of them. He must take that action."
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