HC Deb 13 December 1995 vol 268 c642W
Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time taken from the acknowledgement of a proposal to a valuation tribunal hearing date. [4790]

Sir Paul Beresford

This information is not collected.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment what is the average cost of a valuation tribunal hearing per case in England and Wales. [4792]

Sir Paul Beresford

Details of the costs of individual tribunal hearings are not held centrally. In 1994–95, expenditure on the tribunal service in England and Wales amounted to £11.6 million, and 807,500 appeals transmitted to valuation tribunals were cleared.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of valuation tribunal members are aged over 70 years. [4794]

Sir Paul Beresford

This information is not held by my Department. However, no one who has attained the age of 72 years may be a member of a valuation tribunal.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that each case heard before valuation tribunals is presided over by a single paid chartered surveyor or lawyer who is an expert in property rating. [4788]

Sir Paul Beresford

None.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce a statutory time limit for the listing of a valuation tribunal hearing in respect of rating appeals. [4791]

Sir Paul Beresford

None. Valuation tribunals are independent judicial bodies.

Mr. Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hours training per annum valuation tribunal members receive and what is the average cost of training per tribunal member in England and Wales. [4793]

Sir Paul Beresford

Around £100,000 is provided annually from my Department's votes for training by the National Committee of Valuation Tribunals for the 2,500 members in England, and £12,000 by the Welsh Office for the 285 members in Wales. Other training is also[...]arried out by the individual tribunals themselves. No information is collected on the number of hours training provided.