AQW 50544/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 06/11/2015
Answered On Date: 17/11/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail how the Rating Policy Division assess and supports the needs of small businesses.

Answer:

Rating Policy Division is not responsible for assessing and supporting the needs of small business in Northern Ireland.

However, its role is to advise on ways in which the rating system can be made more responsive and acceptable to the business community. This work is currently being undertaken through the ongoing review of business rates.

I would hope that as many individuals as possible respond to the consultation over the coming weeks though bear in mind that 98% of businesses in Northern Ireland are classified as small and medium sized businesses.

Clearly it is not possible to consult with each and every business individually and my Department is relying on a full engagement with business organisations to represent their views. This process has already begun and the direction of the review was set by the representative organisations who participated in the 4 day Innovation Lab in June this year. Attending that event were representatives from the Federation of Small Businesses, the Institute of Directors, NI Manufacturing, the Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Town and City Management.

Follow up meetings were also held with organisations who could not attend including the NI Independent Retailers Association (NIIRTA) and the CBI.

Since the consultation began on 26 October, preliminary and informal meetings have been held with Hospitality Ulster, NI Manufacturing, the NI Independent Retailers Association and the Federation of Small Businesses. The latter meeting involved the FSB’s national policy expert on business rates. This process will continue throughout the consultation period until 25 January.

There are also 3 seminars or conferences scheduled for December and January arranged separately by the Federation of Small Businesses, the NI Local Government Association and the NI Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA).