§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against banding under the council tax have been made in the current year; what is the average length of time taken to hear those appeals; and how many were successful.
§ Mr. BaldryI would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on Friday 26 November,Official Report, column 259.
A meaningful figure cannot yet be given on the average length of time taken to hear appeals, since a great many cases are being settled by agreement between the taxpayer and the Valuation Office agency, and only a few have been transmitted as appeals to valuation tribunals.