LONDON, 2015-10-29 — /EPR Retail News/ — The devolved government has today published a consultation paper aimed at reviewing Northern Ireland’s £588 million a year non-domestic rates system. The move has been warmly welcomed by the retail industry. Over the past two years the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium has led calls for a review, most recently in its 2016 Policy Agenda and in last week’s Business Rates: Fundamental Reform paper.
Aodhán Connolly, Director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said:
“The retail industry whole-heartedly welcomes the DFP consultation on rates reform. Retail contributes about a quarter of the total rates tax take and this review is the best opportunity to affect real change in our lifetime on what is an outdated and damaging tax on jobs, growth and investment. We would encourage retailers and others to be a part of this change and make their voice heard. But most of all we are asking the political parties to have the courage and the will to change a tax that is simply not fit for purpose. Doing nothing on rates reform is no longer an option.”
ENDS
Note to editors:
1. The NIRC’s recent Business Rates: Fundamental Reform paper is available here
2. The NIRC’s 2016 Policy Agenda can be found here
For media enquiries please contact Aodhán Connolly, Director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium: 07880039744 aodhan.connolly@brc.org.uk
British Retail Consortium, 21 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London, SW1H 9BP. 020 7854 8900. info@brc.org.uk.