§ Lord Mottistoneasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will extend the Rating (Exemption of Unoccupied Hereditaments) Regulations 1984 to provide relief from empty property rates for warehouses.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Bellwin)Yes. We intend to lay new regulations before the House which will, from 1st April 1985, suspend local authorities' powers to levy rates on empty warehouses, as well as the industrial premises which are already covered by the current regulations.