§ 65. Mr. Brooksasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation to prevent any financial penalty being incurred by the householder who improves his own property by such measures as the installation of central heating.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the effect of improvements on rating assessments. Such assessments are based on the rents which properties would be likely to command and any changes to a property which would affect the rental value are accordingly liable to affect the assessment. My right hon. Friend has no present proposals for legislation on this subject but Local Government Finance is being reviewed in the context of the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Government.