<p>Business Rates</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:09 pm on 8 November 2016.

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Photo of Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Labour 2:09, 8 November 2016

I would argue that what we have in place is more generous now than is the case in England. Why? Because it reaches more businesses. Seventy per cent of businesses will receive some form of support through the business rates relief scheme, over half of eligible businesses will pay no rates at all—that is far in excess as a percentage of businesses than is the case under the system in England, although it would appear on the surface to be more generous. But, in fact, the reach of the Welsh scheme is deeper. That said, of course, we do recognise there may be some businesses that will lose out as a result of revaluation, as there always are whenever there is revaluation, which is why we will be introducing the transitional rate relief scheme.