Ministers could give billions raised by business rates to England’s regions

Exclusive: devolving tax is part of plans to give local areas more power in areas including justice, health and education

Ministers are considering handing over billions of pounds raised by business rates to regional mayors as part of one of the biggest shake-ups of the English tax system in recent years.

Steve Reed, the local government secretary, said the government was working on plans to devolve the tax, which has been the subject of recent protests by pubs and other hospitality businesses.