Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Hospitality Industry

Thursday 13 March 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Sir Edward Leigh offered the Minister a weekend stay in Lincolnshire to support local farmers.
  • The Minister expressed interest in the offer and mentioned considering the issue raised.
  • David Reed inquired about the closure of Crusty Cob bakery, which laid off over 100 employees.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Conservative MP expresses concern about the impact of government policies on the hospitality and farming sectors in his constituency, particularly mentioning the abolition of the furnished holiday letting scheme.

Question

Obviously the Minister is working very hard, but he looks a bit tired, so may I offer him some Lincolnshire hospitality? Will he come and stay for a glorious weekend in one of our farm cottages, to enjoy our great skies and bracing air, and help our distressed farmers? Frankly, they need the income. The problem is that the Government have abolished the furnished holiday letting scheme, which was a tremendous encouragement for the countryside.

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Gareth Thomas)

Unusually for the Conservative party, the right hon. Gentleman has made an extremely generous offer. I am almost as tempted by that as by the offer from my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster Central to visit Doncaster. I am happy to look at the issue he raises and I will write to him with more details.

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Q2 David Reed Con Exmouth and Exeter East
Economy Employment Business & Trade
Context

The MP references the closure of Crusty Cob bakery, a local business with a long history in east Devon, due to various issues including manufacturing costs, reduced high street footfall, energy prices, and increases to the national living wage and employer national insurance contributions.

Question

The Crusty Cob bakery has been a constant in east Devon for the past 55 years, but last week the family-run business closed the doors on all nine of its shops, making over 100 local people redundant. The owners stated a panoply of issues, from manufacturing costs to reduced high street footfall and energy prices, but the kicker is the decision that this Business Secretary’s party has made to slam companies with increases to the national living wage and employer national insurance contributions. The effects of this Labour Government’s decisions are setting in and literally destroying working family businesses.

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Gareth Thomas)

I understand that this will be an extremely worrying time for employees of the Crusty Cob and their families. I gently say to the hon. Gentleman that we are offering a 40% discount to retail, hospitality and leisure properties as part of our business rates package. We are going to reform business rates more substantially, with a permanently lower multiplier in 2026 that, while it clearly will not help the Crusty Cob and its employees, will help other businesses on the high street.

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