Business Rate Supplements Bill

We are straying into the principle of additionality, in some ways. I hope it will satisfy the noble Earl if I quote the White Paper, which is succinct and clear. Paragraph 2.17 says: ""In principle, additionality can be simply and clearly defined. It means that supplements should only be used for investment that would not otherwise have taken place. Local authorities should not use revenues from supplements to substitute for their own resources and to support projects which they would have undertaken anyway"." There is no question of this funding being used to compensate for cuts in government funding. The criteria that will have to be applied will have to meet certain very tough tests of additionality, which is exactly why the principle of these projects is so different and so specific.