Chair of Northern Ireland Affairs Committee comments on Corporation Tax
2 April 2013
Commenting on the recent Government announcement that any decision on Corporation Tax will be delayed until autumn 2014, after the Scottish referendum on separation, Laurence Robertson MP, Chair of the Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said: “It is disappointing that the government appears to have delayed the prospect of devolving the responsibility of setting its own rate of Corporation Tax to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
"In its first report of this Parliament, The Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee identified such a move as offering significant benefits to the Northern Ireland economy in terms of increasing inward investment and enabling existing companies to become more profitably.
"Delaying such a decision until after the referendum on Scottish separatism seems odd. If the government's intention is to persuade Scottish voters to remain within the United Kingdom, surely it's best to demonstrate the flexibility which can exist while still belonging to the Union, and what better way to do that than by devolving more fiscal responsibility in this way.
"The committee identified that improving the economy in Northern Ireland would help cement the relative peace which has been achieved over recent years. Surely the events of the last few months in the Province have demonstrated the need to do just that."
Full details of the Committee’s inquiry and report can be found here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/northern-ireland-affairs-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/corporation-tax-in-northern-ireland/