Even if this were a relief that applied to currently dark fibre that is lit, or to fibre that was lit, is unlit and is then lit again, if the premise of the scheme holds true, this is an investment. The idea is that this is meant to spur more economic activity. Therefore, more tax will be gained from corporation tax, pay-as-you-earn and other forms of business rates because people will have premises that become available for use and that are then much more commercial. Rents will rise, values will rise and all the rest of it. The Government do not need to be too chary about where the relief goes, because if they see the relief as an investment, not just some kind of freebie for the industry, it will benefit everyone, including the Government.
Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill
Proceeding contribution from
Kit Malthouse
(Conservative)
in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 5 September 2017.
It occurred during Debate on bills, Committee of the Whole House (HC) and Legislative Grand Committee proceedings (HC) on Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Bill.
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
628 c113 
Session
2017-19
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Librarians' tools
Timestamp
2018-03-09 12:54:32 +0000
URI
http://hansard.intranet.data.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-09-05/17090522000411
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