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MP SLAMS ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT OVER BUSINESS RATES

Westminster, 29 January, 2009

Clwyd West MP, David Jones, has criticised the Welsh Assembly Government for undermining struggling North Wales businesses with an above-inflation increase in non-domestic rates.  

Under Assembly plans, the non-domestic rates multiplier will rise from 0.466 to 0.489 in the next financial year.  The consequence will be a rise of almost 5 per cent in business rate bills for the financial year 2009-2010.  

David Jones said:

“According a report by the International Monetary Fund published yesterday, Britain is entering the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression; it will affect this country more severely than any other developed country in the world.

“At a time such as this, it might have been expected that the Labour - Plaid Cymru Assembly Government would have wished to support struggling Welsh businesses, rather than undermine them still further.

“Businesses in towns like Colwyn Bay, Abergele and Ruthin are already feeling the pain of the downturn.  They need help from government, not more financial burdens.

“Businesses across Clwyd West are telling me that they are finding it an almost impossible struggle to cope with ever-increasing business rates, when their profits are severely squeezed and trade is slowing down.  

“Despite all their warm words and their “economic summits”, therefore, the Assembly Government are now actively helping to push North Wales businesses into insolvency.”