7:00am Monday 18th June 2007
MP Anne Main says a new bill could hit small businesses in St Albans.
Speaking in a debate on the Rating (Empty Properties) Bill, which seeks to apply business rates to properties which lie empty, St Albans MP Mrs Main drew attention to the possible ramifications for small businesses, who may not be able to afford to pay the rates.
Speaking in Parliament, she said: "This bill may lead to a perverse consequence. Smaller businesses will be disproportionately affected, given that they cannot afford to pay extra taxes or rents, whereas larger businesses can afford to play a waiting game.
"Tesco in my constituency can afford to buy up smaller businesses and keep them waiting while it gets a land bank together. A smaller business would be forced to do something somewhat more quickly, with this extra burden."
Afterwards Anne added: "Nobody wants to see empty commercial properties littering the high street, however, I feel that the Government must examine this proposal extremely carefully or we run the risk of disadvantaging small businesses at the expense of big business.
"In an area like St Albans, that could have the perverse consequence of small businesses struggling to survive, being penalised."
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