§ Mr. HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state(a) the estimated increase in the level of rates that businesses in each of the district council areas of Devon will face when unified business rate is introduced and how that increase will be phased in, and (b) the estimated effect of the proposed rates revaluation on Devon businesses.
§ Mr. HowardA national non-domestic rate (NNDR) set at the 1987–88 average level would have been set at 224.1p in the pound. This compares with the present poundages in the district council areas of Devon as follows:
District Councils Pence Percentage difference East Devon 207.4 8.0 Exeter 203.3 10.2 North Devon 212.7 5.4 Plymouth 207.0 8.3 South Hams 212.3 5.6 Teignbridge 211.9 5.8 Mid Devon 210.6 6.4 Torbay 220.8 1.5 Torridge 215.6 3.9 West Devon 209.2 7.1
Annual changes in business rates in Devon percentage 1980–81 to 1981–82 1981–82 to 1982–83 1982–83 to 1983–84 1983–84 to 1984–85 1984–85 to 1985–86 1985–86 to 1986–87 1986–87 to 1987–88 East Devon 8.6 14.3 5.5 8.0 4.8 18.8 6.3 Exeter 9.3 13.4 5.4 6.2 4.7 18.0 6.7 Mid Devon 11.2 14.4 5.5 8.3 4.8 19.4 6.5 North Devon 8.2 14.8 5.5 8.3 6.2 18.3 6.0 Plymouth 8.7 15.4 5.8 7.6 5.1 17.5 6.6 South Hams 9.1 14.1 5.7 8.0 5.8 18.5 6.8 Teignbridge 8.6 14.0 6.4 8.3 4.8 17.8 6.3 Torbay 6.7 13.4 5.4 9.2 6.5 19.9 8.0 Torridge 8.0 14.7 6.3 8.6 5.9 18.6 7.1 West Devon 9.0 14.6 5.7 7.4 5.6 19.0 7.4 Increase in inflation (RPI index at April) 12.0 9.4 4.0 5.2 6.9 3.0 4.2