The Economic Secretary to the Treasury congratulated the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted on securing the debate and thanked her for sharing her personal experience of working in a high street shop, as well as her survey of local small businesses across seven high streets. She acknowledged the challenges faced by high street businesses due to changing consumer shopping habits, online competition, and economic headwinds such as the pandemic. The Government are committed to reforming Britain's economy to bring about national renewal, including supporting thriving high streets. In response to the hon. Member’s concerns, the Minister stated that the Government had difficult decisions to make in the Budget, but these were necessary for economic stability. She mentioned specific measures taken such as doubling the employment allowance to £10,500 and maintaining corporation tax at its current level, which is one of the lowest rates in the G7. For pubs specifically, a reduction in alcohol duty on qualifying draught products was announced, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85 million annually. The Minister also addressed concerns about business rates by outlining reforms to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values under £500,000 from 2026-27. This reform will be sustainably funded through a higher tax rate on the most valuable 1% of business properties in the country, capturing large distribution warehouses used by online giants and other out-of-town businesses that draw footfall away from high streets. The Government have already introduced primary legislation to underpin these reforms, with exact rates for new multipliers confirmed later this year in the autumn Budget. I am here in my ministerial capacity, of course, but I also represent High Wycombe in the south-east, so I understand her point, and promise to take it back to the Department, and to the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. Levelling the playing field for the high street is just the start, and we are committed to transforming the whole system in the longer term. As we set out in the “Transforming Business Rates” policy paper that we published alongside the Budget, the Government will create a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. It is important that we work in partnership with high-street businesses to get the reforms right. I thank the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted for bringing the voice of small businesses in her constituency to our proceedings. Government officials have undertaken a series of roundtable events to understand from businesses across all sectors and sizes how they think reform of the system can best be delivered. Over 200 businesses have already given their feedback at those roundtables. The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury is leading that work and engaging with a broad range of high-street businesses, as are officials in my Department. Indeed. The point of the reforms is to better protect small businesses. As the hon. Gentleman says, there are already small businesses that are protected, but we want to ensure that those small businesses that are above the current thresholds are also protected, and do not pay the rates that they pay at the moment. We want to make sure that small businesses on the high street are better supported—that is the whole point of the reforms—so I can reassure him that it will not get worse for small businesses. It may be the Exchequer Secretary’s area, but I know that much, so I thank the hon. Gentleman for the opportunity to respond to that question. We look forward to further engagement with businesses over the coming months on delivering a business rates system fit for the future. I congratulate the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted again on her first Adjournment debate in the House—it is also the first Adjournment debate that I have responded to as a Minister—and thank her for raising this important issue. This Government have delivered the economic stability that high-street businesses need to thrive, and we are committed to delivering the business rates reforms that will support high streets up and down the country.