HC Deb 27 October 1970 vol 805 cc78-9W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, as a means of preventing fires, loss of industrial assets, buildings, etc., trade, etc., injury and death to human beings, he will, as an incentive to industry to install fire sprinklers, take steps to ensure that in such cases where sprinklers are installed there will be a reduction in the rateable value of the premises.

Mr. Graham Page

There are many features which may make a building safer or in other ways more valuable. My right hon. Friend could not justify singling one out for exceptional treatment for rating purposes and he does not believe that sensible people are deterred from improving their property by the thought that the rateable value of that property may be thereby increased.