§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many appeals have been lodged by756W businesses in the north-west region in the last 12 months; how long it has taken to resolve each appeal; and what estimate he has made as to whether appeals will be resolved more quickly in future; [30509]
(2) how many appeals are currently lodged with the district valuers office in Rochdale; and what is the waiting time for appeals to that office to be heard. [30508]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesSome 42,838 proposals to alter the non-domestic rating lists have been received in the last 12 months in the north-west region of the Valuation Office agency. As at 31 May 1995, a total of 35,263 non-domestic rating appeals, including some made more than 12 months ago, were outstanding in the north-west region, and 2,277 at the Rochdale office.
We expect that the vast majority of proposals received by the end of March this year will have been cleared by the end of 1995–96. Later appeals against the 1990 list will be settled as soon as possible thereafter. It is still too early to tell how many appeals against the 1995 list are likely to be received, and at what rate; and therefore, how quickly they are likely to be resolved.