§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the law whereby an application for a reduction in rateable value due to a temporary inconvenience must be deemed to have lasted for at least 12 months before an amendment will be approved.
§ Mr. KingThere is no statutory rule to this effect. The statute defines rateable value in terms of the annual rent which a hypothetical tenant might be expected382W not consider it appropriate to publish reasons for non reappointment in individual cases, or political affiliations if known.
to pay for a property. It is for the courts to determine as a matter of fact in each case how far a value determined in this way may be affected by a temporary inconvenience. I am not aware of any reason to seek to place a statutory restriction on the courts' discretion in this matter.