§ 29. Mr. MurphyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has recently received any representations regarding the implementation of the unified business rate in England and Wales.
§ 113. Mr. HaynesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has held with representatives of the small business community on the introduction of the unified business rate; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has received a number of representations from individual businesses and business organisations on aspects of the new unified business rate in England.
§ 45. Mr. Ian TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from businesses in the south-east of England regarding the implementation of the unified business rate.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from businesses in the south-east and elsewhere on aspects of the new unified business rate.
As a result of representations from bodies representing small businesses, my right hon. Friend announced on 27 July that the threshold for more generous transitional arrangements would be doubled to £15,000 and £10,000 rateable value for properties, respectively, in London and elsewhere. He also announced on 6 November his provisional view that the non-domestic rating multiplier for 1990–91 would be 36p, a figure below that expected by the business community and generally welcomed by it. And, on 7 December, he laid before Parliament an order to allow where necessary for larger annual reductions in rate bills during the transitional period than previously expected.
§ 87. Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the unified business rate for 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeI refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 29 November, at column252.