§ Miss Quennellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publicise the way ratepayers can appeal against assessment of rateable value, and state whether such an appeal will put them to further expense; and whether the appeal is heard by a court or a panel and the extent to which such proceedings are rigid and final.
§ Mr. NottThis information is published in a pamphlet "Your Rates in 1973" prepared by the Department of the Environment in conjunction with the Inland Revenue Valuation Office, and is available free from any local valuation office or rating authority. A dispute about a rating assessment which cannot be settled by agreement will go in the first instance to the local valuation court which charges no fees and awards no costs. From there it may go to the Lands Tribunal or, on a point of law, to the Court of Appeal and House of Lords.