§ Lord Mottistoneasked Her Majesty's Government:
When will her Majesty's Government introduce new regulations to extend mandatory rating relief to empty warehouses as promised by Ministers during the passage of the Rates Act 1984.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Avon)My right honourable friend has today laid regulations before the House which will extend the mandatory full rating relief, which has applied to empty industrial property since 1st April 1984, to warehouses and other wholesale storage premises from 1st April 1985. Owners of such properties will therefore no longer be liable for rates on premises which they can neither dispose of nor use. I hope that this will free resources which they will be able to invest more productively.