§ 65. Mr. Sparksasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the increased rate income to be derived by local authorities in the current or latest convenient year if industry was fully rated.
§ Mr. PowellOn the assumption that rate poundages were unchanged, the additional rate income for the year 1955–56 would be about £45 million if industry were fully rated but no consequential adjustment made in valuations. The assumption, however, would only be fulfilled if Exchequer grants were reduced by a like amount.
§ Sir I. Fraserasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that in Morecambe and Heysham 243W a survey of 159 cases of private hotels and boarding houses has been made showing that in 36 cases the actual amount of money they will have to pay in rates has been doubled and that most of the others are up by very substantial amounts; that the same difficulties have arisen in other parts of the country; and if he will now say when he proposes to review rating generally to see that the burden is more equitably distributed.
§ Mr. SandysI have seen this survey. I cannot go into the merits of individual assessments, but in the proportion of cases in which the increase is abnormally large the reason may be previous underassessment. As regards the last part of the Question I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) on 15th March, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Mr. J. Howardasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to be in a position to review the effects of the recent rating revaluations upon commercial properties.
§ Mr. SandysI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) on 15th March, of which I am sending him a copy.