§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of the total cost up to the end of the current financial year to schools of the removal of discretionary rate relief [74722]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisNone. There has been no change in the position that local authorities do not have the power to grant discretionary rate relief to schools of which they are themselves the ultimate occupier. Education authorities are responsible for ensuring that their own schools are in a position to meet their financial obligations.