HC Deb 25 April 1967 vol 745 cc1312-3
15. Mr. William Price

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, how many local authorities have begun the rating of empty property.

Mr. MacColl

Fifty-five rating authorities have resolved that the provisions for rating unoccupied property shall apply to their areas starting this year, and so far one rating authority has resolved to start next year. With permission I shall circulate a list of the authorities in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Price

Would not my hon. Friend agree that that is a very disappointing figure? What steps is he taking to improve the situation?

Mr. MacColl

It depends how high my hon. Friend's expectations were. The figure of 55 is about what I thought we would get. This will be a valuable experiment to see how effective the provisions are. I have no doubt that other local authorities will take advantage of it later.

Mr. Lubbock

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the London Borough of Bromley has decided not to rate vacant properties, thus wasting thousands of pounds for the taxpayers of that borough and leading to properties remaining vacant in an area of short supply? Would the Government not have done better to accept the Rating (Unoccupied Hereditaments) Bill of 1965, which made it mandatory for local authorities to rate vacant property?

Mr. MacColl

I am always surprised that the Liberal Party should be preemptory in these matters. It is better, when there is a good deal of difference of opinion, to allow an adoptive Clause to see how it works.

Following is the information:

Rating authorities in England and Wales who have resolved that the provisions in the General Rate Ac,, 1967, with respect to the rating of unoccupied property shall apply to their areas

County Boroughs

Bournemouth; Coventry; Eastbourne; Exeter.

London Boroughs

Hounslow; Newham; Waltham Forest.

Non-County Boroughs and Urban Districts Alsager; Ashby de la Zouche; Barry; Beaumaris; Cannock; Chepstow; Clay Cross; Coalville; Crawley; Eccles; Hadleigh; Hales-worth; Halstead; Heanor; Hitchin; Hornsea; Horsham; Keighley; Letchworth; Loughborough; Maidstone*; Melksham; Melton Mowbray; Neath; Newcastle under Lyme; Petersfield; Portland; Potters Bar; Ramsgate; Royston; Shoreham by Sea; Stevenage; Tamworih; Taunton; Todmorden; Tonbridge; Tring; Tunbridge Wells; Watford; Wellington; Wisbech. Rural Districts Ashby de la Zouche; South Cambridge; South Kesteven; Wantage; Warminster and Westbury; Warmley; Watford; West Dean. * In Maidstone the provisions apply from 1st April, 1968; in all other cases they apply from 1st April, 1967.