HC Deb 27 February 1991 vol 186 cc531-2W
Mr. French

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached on the rating valuation of property located in areas which lose enterprise zone status.

Mr. Key

My right hon. Friend has today laid regulations under the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to provide that when enterprise zones cease and non-domestic property becomes rateable, the rents of the property should be discounted for the purposes of assessing rateable values. This will ensure that any effect on rents at 1 April 1988 brought about by the existence of a zone will not affect rateable values of property in its former area.

So that the occupants of property in zones that are to cease may know their likely future liabilities, local valuation officers will produce schedules of the likely rateable values of property they expect to enter in local rating lists. These will be available for inspection at the relevant local valuation office and charging authority offices. There will be no right of challenge to the rateable values in the schedules: the usual appeal rights will accompany the alteration of rating lists when zones end.