§ Mr. AdleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on discussions held and decisions taken concerning the uniform business rate for nationalised industries; and if he will indicate the anticipated amount to be paid by British Rail in the first year of the uniform business rate.
§ Mr. David HuntMy officials have held extensive discussions with representatives of all those industries whose rateable values are to be prescribed by orders made under paragraph 3 of schedule 6 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988, and our proposals for new assessments were contained in a consultation paper issued on 4 October, the responses to which we are now considering. I am placing copies of the consultation paper in the Library. No decisions have yet been taken on the values for these industries. But if our proposed rateable value for British Rail is adopted and assuming the provisional multiplier of 36 pence which my right hon. Friend announced on 6 November, after the application of the transitional arrangements, British Rail's rate bill for property assessed on this basis in England in 1990–91 would be about £57.5 million.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has discussed the implications of the uniform business rate with the Forum of Private Business; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeThe then Minister for Local Government met Mr. Mendham, the chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, on 5 May 1989 to discuss the business rate. Also officials have had several meetings with Mr. Mendham his year on the same subject.