§ Mr. DunnTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to carry out a general revaluation of rateable values in Northern Ireland.
§ Sir John WheelerThe current valuation list was published on 31 December 1975 and came into effect on 1 April 1976. Since that time, major shifts in rental patterns have taken place in Northern Ireland and these are not reflected in the net annual values appearing in the list. The relative antiquity of the present list has given rise to many anomalies between different areas and between different classes of property, particularly in the non-domestic sector. A revaluation of the whole of the non-domestic sector will, therefore, be undertaken by the Valuation and Lands Agency and work on this will commence immediately. The domestic sector is not being reviewed at this time but the situation will be kept under review.
The new valuation list will be published on or before 31 December 1996 and will come into effect on 1 April 1997. Any ratepayer who is aggrieved by his or her valuation will have a statutory right of appeal.