§ Mr. Allan StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the potential economic consequences of the removal of the present limitations on increases in non-domestic rates; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe fact that the increases in non-domestic rates in Scotland have been held to inflation during the current year has already benefited industry and commerce. They will benefit further next year by my right hon. and learned Friend's decision to reduce
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Statutory Instrument Statutory Instrument number Date of coming into force The Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 Commencement Order 1987 1987/1489 18 August 1987 The Non-Domestic Rates and Community Charges (Timetable) (Scotland) Regulations 1987 1987/2167 07 January-1988 The Non-Domestic Rates and Community Charges (Timetable) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1989—these amend SI 1987/ 2167 and revoke part of Schedule 2 to those regulations 1989/2436 22-January 1990 The Abolition of Domestic Rates (Domestic and Part Residential Subjects) (Scotland) Regulations 1987—now revoked 1987/2179 08 January 1988 The Abolition of Domestic Rates (Domestic and Part Residential Subjects) (Scotland) Regulations 1988—these revoke and replace SI 1987/2179 1988/1477 15 September 1988 The Housing Benefit (Social Security Act 1986 Modification) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 1988/1483 21 September 1988 The Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) Regulations 1988 —now revoked 1988/157 26 February 1988 The Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 1988—these revoke and replace SI 1988/157 1988/1539 1 October 1988 The Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) (No. 2) Amendment Regulations 1988—these correct mistakes in regulation 7 of and Schedule 3 to SI 1988/1539 1988/1611 1 October 1988 The Standard and Collective Community Charges (Scotland) Regulations 1988 1988/631 20 April 1988 The Standard and Collective Community Charges (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 1988—these amended regulations 2 and 3 of SI 1988/631, and are now revoked 1988/1540 01 October 1988 The Standard and Collective Community Charges (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1989—these amended regulations 3 of SI 1988/631, and are now revoked 1989/1004 01 July 1989 The Standard and Collective Community Charges (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1989—these revoke regulation 4 of SI 1988/631 1989/1476 04 September 1989 The Abolition of Domestic Rates (Domestic and Part Residential Subjects) (No. 2) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 1989/1477 04 September 1989 poundages by 6.25 per cent. below indexation as the first step towards a common business rate with England. The Labour party's proposal to return to local authorities freedom to set rate poundages would on the basis of experience inflict a significantly higher rate burden on Scottish business than borne by its competitors south of the border and would consequently damage Scotland's economic prospects. It would also remove any prospect of harmonisation of business rates in Great Britain, a prospect which has been welcomed both by the business community and the general public in Scotland.