§ Lord KilmanyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any report has yet been received from the Scottish Valuation Advisory Council regarding the heavy burden of rates levied upon racecourses, football grounds and caravan sites in Scotland as compared with their counterparts in England and Wales; and if not when this report is expected and what action will follow.
§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (The Earl of Mansfield)My Lords, I understand that the Scottish Valuation Advisory Council have looked at possible changes to the valuation system in Scotland with regard to these and related matters. My right honourable friend is considering their advice and will decide what action should be taken.
§ Lord KilmanyMy Lords, arising out of that reply, for which I thank my noble friend, may I ask whether he is aware that Scottish racecourses in particular are being so heavily rated as compared to English racecourses that they cannot balance their accounts? Is my noble friend aware that the burden of rates carried by Scottish racecourses is three or four times as heavy as that carried by comparable English racecourses? Is my noble friend aware that unless something is done about it, and done very soon, horse racing in Scotland will be killed stone dead?
§ The Earl of MansfieldMy Lords, the Government are very well aware of the difficulties, and indeed my right honourable friend met representatives of Scottish racecourses only yesterday. He is considering urgently what measures can be taken, and I understand he assured the representatives that if legislation is requried it will be pursued as quickly as possible.
§ Lord Ross of MarnockMy Lords, bearing in mind that the Treasury derives very considerable benefit from both football and racing, directly and indirectly, will the Minister remember that this is endangered as well as the stability of football clubs by the present unfair system of valuation in Scotland? Will he further explain to the House that valuation in Scotland is not done, as in England, by the Inland Revenue—it is fairly cheap in this part of the world? It is done by local assessors, locally elected, locally selected, locally appointed and locally paid. Has the Scottish Valuation Committee looked into the question of different interpretations on both sides of the Border? This is 636 certainly true in respect of the other matter that is in the Question—caravan parks.
§ The Earl of MansfieldMy Lords, the noble Lord is quite right that there are anomalies and they extend beyond racecourses. Sports grounds, including football grounds, caravan sites, sporting rights, reed beds, hotels and solar heating systems immediately spring to mind. I am not sure that anything is wrong with the method of assessment as such, and certainly not regarding the valuers. But there are anomalies, as I have said, which have sprung up particularly in the last few years. The Government are considering urgently how, if these anomalies bear unfairly on the particular subjects, we can try to ameliorate the position.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that as regards caravan sites there are extraordinary anomalies as between Scotland and England, and that I supplied his right honourable friend with comparative figures some months ago showing that two sites, only a short distance apart but on each side of the Border, were treated very differently? Does he recognise that this is a serious handicap to the tourist industry in Scotland?
§ The Earl of MansfieldMy Lords, the answer is, Yes. As I have said, the Government have become increasingly aware that there are these anomalies which bear very heavily on the particular industries concerned, and that is what we are now considering as a matter of urgency.
§ Lord Ross of MarnockMy Lords, can the Minister promise to act as sympathetically and speedily as the Government did in respect of the oil installations last year?
§ The Earl of MansfieldMy Lords, I can only repeat to the House that, in a matter which is complex in law, and not easy to solve so far as fairness is concerned in respect of every class of rateable subject, we are doing our best to be as quick as we can.