§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to bring to the attention of the public and Parliament the contents of, and summarised information arising from, the proposed local non-domestic rating lists required to be deposited with local authorities by 31 December, with particular reference to (i) his estimated dates of such depositing, (ii) his estimated dates of press releases from his Department or the Inland Revenue, (iii) his plans to notify individual ratepayers of the proposed valuations and (iv) any statement he might make to Parliament before or after the Christmas recess.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe valuation office will send the new draft rating lists to local authorities on 20 December. Authorities are required by the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to deposit the lists and to give notice that they have done so as soon as reasonably practicable after their receipt. Ratepayers will be informed of their rateable values when rate bills for 1990–91 are sent out, but meanwhile the draft lists will be available for public inspection at the offices of local authorities and of the valuation office. I shall send to all ratepayers an explanation of the new rating system, but it will not be possible to include individual rateable values. I shall make available to Parliament and publish an analysis of the effects of the uniform business rate and of revaluation as soon as the necessary information is available.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the expected yield from non-domestic rates in 1989–90 in England; and what are the adjustments that have to be made to this figure to allow a proper comparison to be made with the NNDR distributive amount of £10,428.5 million for 1990–91.
§ Mr. David HuntI shall write to the hon. Member.