§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of appeals against rating assessments still outstanding in each of the London boroughs and the City of London as a result of the 1973 revaluation, differentiating between (a) commercial and industrial and (b) domestic hereditaments.
§ Mr. OakesI regret that information is not available in the form requested. The approximate total number of appeals held190W by local valuation panels in London at 31st December 1974, and the London boroughs falling within the areas of those panels, are shown below:
Greater London (Central)
City of London, City of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Camden, Islington, 39,000 appeals.Greater London (North Western)
Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon. 19,000 appeals.Greater London (South Western)
Kingston upon Thames, Hammersmith, Hounslow, Lambeth, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth. 14,000 appeals.Greater London (North Eastern)
Barking, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest. 11,000 appeals.Greater London (South Eastern)
Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark. 13,000 appeals.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken to deal with the accumulation of appeals by Greater London ratepayers against assessments made in the 1973 revaluation; and when he now expects all such appeals to be finalised.
§ Mr. OakesThe responsibility for dealing with these appeals rests with the local valuation panels in Greater London constituted under the General Rate Act 1967, but I propose to consult them about whether there is any way in which I can assist them in their work.
The circumstances of individual appeals vary widely and it is not possible to say when all appeals will be finalised.