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Lords amendment: No. 1, in page 1, line 20, at end insert—
("(4A) Subsection (3) or (4) above does not have effect in the case of a pitch occupied by a caravan, or a mooring occupied by a boat, which is an appurtenance enjoyed with other property to which subsection (1) (a) above applies.")
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Sir Paul Beresford)I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
We welcome the amendments proposed in the other place and I urge the House to accept them.
Lords amendment No.1 ensures that pitches occupied by caravans or moorings occupied by boats which are part of a larger domestic property, such as a house with a river frontage mooring, will be considered as an appurtenance to the main property. They will therefore be domestic property. Without this amendment, any such pitches or moorings would be non-domestic property and subject to non-domestic rates. Furthermore, new rating lists are required because of local government reorganisation in Wales. Amendments Nos. 2 and 3 will enable the Bill's provisions to apply in the same manner in England and in Wales.
I have been asked to mention another issue in relation to boat owners' concerns about council tax. This is a rating Bill and, as such, it is not the right vehicle with which to deal with problems relating to council tax. Nevertheless, the Residential Boatowners Association is being consulted, and will be fully consulted, on the Valuation Office Agency's new guidelines on moorings. The VOA has issued instructions to its local offices that no mooring cases will be pursued until the guidelines have been issued.
If the association still feels that there are problems after the guidelines are in place, we shall review the situation and, if necessary, put the problems right through the right mechanism—council tax legislation.
§ Ms Hilary Armstrong (North-West Durham)We are quite happy to accept the amendments, which demonstrate the problems encountered in making legislation. The Bill was originally introduced because a valuation panel had, in essence, changed people's understanding of the existing law, which we were trying to put right. Apparently, we did not manage to do that during the Bill's earlier passage through the House, but that problem has now been corrected. I certainly agree with the Government's intention in the amendments, and I shall not oppose them.
I thank the Minister for his words of reassurance to the Residential Boatowners Association. Members of that organisation clearly have been working on the issue for 607 some time, and I am pleased that they have received some reassurance. It is important that groups such as that one—composed of people who live a different life style but who, none the less, have rights and responsibilities, as do the rest of us—feel that they are being fairly treated and properly consulted. Those people are looking basically for a rating system that is fair and simple to administer, as are we all. I think that we are accomplishing that aim, but the Bill's passage shows how difficult that is to achieve.
Many boat residents feel that they are being unfairly treated, and that there are too many grey areas resulting in constant disputes that waste the time and resources of everyone involved. As the Minister said, boat residents are particularly concerned about some aspects of council tax legislation. Their concern has arisen because of how they are treated by changes in council tax legislation in comparison with how they were treated under the general rates, which was, of course, before the poll tax.
Many boat residents who previously had no rates liability contend that that they now have to pay council tax in addition to licence and mooring fees, which previously were how they paid a share of local rates. Boat residents have substantial concerns, and it is right for the Government to deal with their concerns in a way that enables them to feel that they are properly involved in consultations.
Any legislation on rating and valuation ends up being far more complex than any hon. Member would like it to be. I hope that we are able to move to a clearer system so that there are not continual wrangles and conflicts over a matter in which everyone has a responsibility to make his contribution. People also have a right not to be treated unfairly. I am happy to reassure the Minister that we do not wish to press our concerns any further.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Lords amendment No. 1 agreed to [Special Entry.]
§ Lords amendments Nos. 2 and 3 agreed to.