§ 11. Mr. Maddanasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied that the present arrangements for appeals in respect of assessments for rating are fair to all classes of ratepayer; and whether he will make a statement.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. James MacColl)My right hon. Friend believes that the present arrangements are generally regarded as satisfactory.
§ Mr. MaddanIs the Joint Parliamentary Secretary aware that all gross values tend to be under the true letting value? While this helps nobody, it has the effect, in the case of a given property which is valued rather under the true value, that it is very hard to establish a case for it to be put right.
§ Mr. MacCollIn the absence of a lot of free letting, it is difficult to do. But there is machinery in the Act for this to be put right by the appeals procedure.