§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the approximate area of empty office space and unoccupied houses in London and England, respectively; what is their rateable value and how much was collected in rates on them last year; whether he will take steps to require the compulsory registration and rating of empty property; and whether he will deduct from the resources support grant for those local authorities who have unreasonably forgone rates on empty properties.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonUnoccupied properties are changing continually, and no records are kept of them as such.
As I said in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend on 28th March, my right hon. Friend has at present no proposals for amending the existing legislation under which half rates may be levied on such property.—[Vol. 780, c. 373–4.]