§ 59. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further research he intends to commission into the possible correlation between rate increases and job losses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeI have no doubt that the excessive rates imposed by some councils can have serious consequences for employment opportunities. Many cases have been drawn to my attention where high business rates are reported to have affected the location of investment and employment by individual firms. The national non-domestic rate will soon be in place which will prevent high levels of business rates and damaging year-to-year variations. My right hon. Friend has no plans at the moment to commission further research into the correlation between rate increases and job losses.