§ Dr. David Owenasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of doubts which have arisen over the meaning of usual residence, he will amend the Rating Act, 1966 so as to make it clear that people in hospital 241W who pay rates but leave their property unoccupied are eligible for rate rebate.
§ Mr. MellishI take it that my hon. Friend is referring to a case in his constituency about which he wrote. My right hon. Friend does not know of any similar case, and he has no reason to suppose that attempting statutory definition of what is essentially a commonsense matter would be an improvement.