BUSINESS RATES ON BRITISH PUBS

That this House is concerned with the disproportionate business rates being paid by British pubs, with the pub sector paying the second highest business rates bill in the UK; notes that the pub sector's total tax bill comes to £7.3 billion, or £140,000 per pub; is frustrated that pubs, which form a core part of many communities and create local jobs and business, are paying such a high amount, £800 million more than the gambling and betting sector; recognises the threat the disproportionate business rates pose to community pubs, and the damage losing these pubs will have on communities across the UK; notes that the pub sector pays six times the justifiable amount of business rates, the sector accounting for 0.5 per cent of the UK's turnover, but paying 2.8 per cent of the UK's total business rates bill; welcomes previous reductions on beer duty but notes that this is on beer and on beer sold anywhere, so calls on HM Treasury to reduce the unfair and onerous burden of business rates on British pubs by freezing the business rate multiplier, extending Small Business Rates Relief and applying Retail Relief, which would provide pubs with a rateable value of £50,000 with a discount and to look again at the way pub business rates are calculated; and calls on the Government to look at further ways directly to support British pubs through the tax system considering their importance to local communities as well as the local and national economy.