HL Deb 06 March 1992 vol 536 cc1126-7

12.37 p.m.

The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne rose to move, That the draft orders laid before the House on 11th February be approved [13th Report from the Joint Committee].

The noble Earl said: My Lords, the 14 draft orders standing on the Order Paper in my name all relate to matters of valuation and rating in Scotland. They conveniently divide into two groups and, with your Lordships' permission, I shall deal with them in this way.

The draft Industrial and Freight Transport (Rateable Values) (Scotland) Order 1992 and the draft Mines and Quarries (Rateable Values) (Scotland) Order 1992 would set the level of industrial derating to apply in Scotland next year at 25 per cent. That is a reduction of five percentage points from the current level and is consistent with the Government's intention of phasing out industrial derating in parallel with the moves towards a national rate in Scotland at the level of the national non-domestic rate in England. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has announced a reduction in non-domestic rates next year of £60 million, and this allows a further reduction in the level of industrial derating to 25 per cent.

There are 12 draft orders relating to the rateable values for 1992–93 of the so-called formula valued industries. These are mainly public utilities which are not valued for rating by the regional assessors in the usual way but for which the rateable values are prescribed. The draft orders before the House today simply revise the rateable values prescribed for this year to take account both of the new level of industrial derating and also of material changes affecting the value of each industry's property holdings.

The orders in the main merely update for 1992–93 existing provisions which apply in respect of this financial year. I commend the orders to your Lordships.

Moved, That the draft orders laid before the House on 11th February be approved [13th Report from the Joint Committee]. —(The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.)

Lord Carter

My Lords, on behalf of the noble Lord, Lord Carmichael of Kelvingrove, I thank the noble Lord for introducing these technical measures and explaining them so clearly. They are purely technical and we have no objection to them.

On Question, Motion agreed to.