NDM8105 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Business rates

NDM8105 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Regrets that Wales has the highest business rates in Great Britain.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to take immediate action to reduce non-domestic rates to support businesses and protect jobs.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

1.  Notes the different non-domestic rates tax base in Wales, with a larger proportion of small and medium-sized businesses.

2.  Welcomes:

a)  the non-domestic rates relief Welsh Government provides to ratepayers every year, which means 44 per cent pay no bills at all.

b)  the £116m of extra support for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses this year to help them recover from the pandemic, providing up to 50 per cent relief on their non-domestic rates bills.

c) that, as a combined result of these reliefs, 70 per cent of non-domestic properties in Wales are receiving support with their non-domestic rates bills in 2022-23.

Amendment 2 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Further calls on the Welsh Government to replace the current system of non-domestic rates with proposals for a new single land and property tax covering residential, commercial, and industrial land (with agricultural land remaining exempt).