HC Deb 06 April 1981 vol 2 cc212-4W
Mr. Heddle

asked the Secretary of State for I he Environment if he will consider imposing a moratorium on the rating of unoccupied business, industrial and commercial properties for the period of the next 12 months.

Mr. King

An order was laid before Parliament on 12 January this year which placed a 50 per cent. ceiling on rates on empty non-domestic property. We have no intention at present of making further reductions, but will review the level from time to time. However, local authorities retain their discretion to set such rates at lower levels, including nil, if they choose.

Mr. Heddle

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list in the Official Report all local authorities in England which levied rates in respect of unoccupied business, commercial and industrial property in 1980–81; giving the rate, expressed as a percentage of the rate which would have been levied on such properties, had they been occupied;

(2) if he will list in the Official Report all local authorities in England which did not levy rates in respect of -unoccupied business, commercial and industrial property in 1980–81;

(3) if he will list for every rating authority in England the relief given on empty business, commercial and industrial property of different types in the year 1980–81; and if, in each case, he will state the duration of any relief so given;

(4) which authorities in England granted owners and tenants of empty business, commmercial and industrial property no rate relief whatsoever in 1980–81;

(5) if he will give an estimate of the total amount of relief given during 1980–81 and each of the preceding three years by English rating authorities on unoccupied business, commercial and industrial property.

Mr. King

The Department does not collect this information, but I refer the hon. Member to the annual publication of the Rating and Valuation Association, "General Rate Poundages and Products", copies of which are available in the Library. This gives information about which local authorities levy empty property rates, at what level of ordinary rates and on what categories of property, together with the estimated income from empty property rates for individual authorities.

Mr. Heddle

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions he has used powers, given to him under section 41(1) of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, to direct that provision for liability to a progressive rating surcharge in respect of unused property be suspended; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. King

Once. An order was laid before Parliament on 12 January this year which suspended from 1 April 1981 the progressive surcharge on unoccupied commercial property, provided for in sections 17A and 17B of the General Rate Act 1967.

Mr. Heddle

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the amount of rate income lost by rating authorities in England in 1980–81 because of discretionary relief granted by local authorities to the owners or tenants of business, commercial and industrial property.

Mr. King

I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. Heddle

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what allowances were made in assessing rateable values for local authorities in England for the purposes of the 1980 rate support grant settlement to allow for changes in the rating of empty business commercial and industrial premises as enacted by sections 40 and 41 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

Mr. King

An order has been made under section 42 limiting the amount of rates which may be levied on unoccupied non-domestic property for 1981–82 onwards to 50 per cent. of the rates ordinarily payable. To compensate local authorities for the revenue compulsorily forgone, the rateable value of empty non-domestic properties is to be treated for grant purposes as having 50 per cent. of its volume in the local valuation lists.

No allowance is to be granted following the further order, suspending the progressive surcharge in respect of unused commercial property. The amounts raised by the surcharge were insignificant in terms of the rate support grant.