“a school…at which full-time education is provided for pupils of compulsory school age…where fees or other consideration are payable for that…education” “an institution…which is wholly or mainly concerned with providing education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age but under 19…where the provision of full-time education…is wholly or mainly provision in respect of which fees or other consideration are payable”. “this House observes that the Autumn Budget 2024 has cut central Government funding for retail, hospitality and leisure business rate relief in 2025-26, and that this Government funding will end completely in 2026-27; expresses concern that the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill represents a stealth increase in business rates on high streets and the hospitality sector, as well as on larger businesses, on top of the Government’s increases in National Insurance contributions; regrets the lack of a proper cumulative impact assessment on the effect on business; notes that the removal of charitable rate relief on independent schools, taken together with the imposition of VAT, will mean fewer children going to private schools and will therefore create extra pressure on state schools, will undermine aspiration and parental choice, and mean larger class sizes in state schools and increased costs for taxpayers; and therefore declines to give a Second Reading to the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill.” “replace the business rates system, so we can raise the same revenue but in a fairer way. This new system will level the playing field between the high street and online giants”. “We would scrap business rates to help our high streets flourish.”-[Official Report, 12 May 2022; Vol. 714, c. 300.] “The sheer scale of new costs and the speed with which they occur create a cumulative burden that will make job losses inevitable, and higher prices a certainty.” “Another of the promises I now vainly wish I had not made”.-[Official Report, 17 October 2022; Vol. 720, c. 430.] “properties with rateable value £500,000 or more,” “the majority of large distribution warehouses including those used by online giants”. “the same revenue but in a fairer way”. “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” “Politics: Conservative by nature, Labour by experience.” “Firstly, all my staff will now see a reduction in the hours they will be scheduled. As a result, no doubt, some will leave. Where many of my employees already earn over the current minimum wage, I will not be able to increase their pay rates by as much as I have done in the past. Secondly, any full-time employees who leave our employment will only be replaced by potentially 2 or 3 part-time employees. Thirdly, I will not be investing in any capital equipment in my kitchen or new decor in my restaurant. Fourthly, there is a serious potential for me to operate on shortened trading hours, thus reducing the vibrancy of the Town Centre.” “I was cautiously optimistic that a new Labour Government couldn’t possibly be worse than the previous Tory one in terms of lack of support for SMEs. Sadly, in the space of 3 short months this Government has already proved my optimism was misplaced and there will be many casualties over the next 12 months as the new measures take effect.” “Pubs are the beating heart or the anchor of many communities, and the place where people can get together to tackle loneliness and isolation.”-[Official Report, 5 December 2023; Vol. 742, c. 238.]