Clause 62 - Submission of proposed rating lists
Local Government Bill
3:15 pm
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold, Conservative)
I hear the usual channels cheering. I told them that I thought that we might get to clause 62 in half an hour. It has taken us almost an hour, and I gather that we are about to have a vote in the House.
Part 5, on non-domestic rates, is a complex part of the Bill, and several matters need to be raised. No amendments have been tabled to clause 62, so we are having only a clause stand part debate. The clause deals with revaluation, for which new lists have to be drawn up. Under the old system, provisional lists had to be made three months before they were finalised on 1 April. Clause 62 simply changes that time to six months, which is to the end of September. The clause is welcome, but it shows that if modern computer technology exists to do that for rating lists, it should be perfectly possible under the BID arrangements to provide estimates. If that can be done for all 1.65 million non-domestic ratepayers, why is it not possible to do that for a few hundred BID submissions? I hope that the Minister will consider that.
The clause is welcome. It is a change that will be welcomed by businesses because it will give them more time to plan their financial affairs.