§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce a rent rebate scheme for commercial ratepayers in Northern Ireland and ensure that the basis of such a scheme be to place the commercial ratepayer on the same footing, as far as the Third General Revaluation is concerned, as his industrial counterpart.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees,pursuant to the answer [Official Report, 12th July 1976; Vol. 915, c. 44], gave the following additional information:
I have no plans to introduce a rent rebate scheme for commercial ratepayers in Northern Ireland. I presume however that the hon. Member is concerned with rates and not rents and I would refer him to the reply I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 10th June. I would also point out that as in the rest of the United Kingdom property is valued in accordance with its rental value and since there was no general revaluation in Northern Ireland between 1956 and 1975 the third general revaluation took account of the increase in rental valuations accumulated over 20 years. Although traders are now complaining of 368W the resultant increase in rates they have benefited in fact from unduly low rates until now.—[Vol. 912, c. 945.]