New Clause 1 - Annual report
Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill
11:30 am
Phil Woolas (Minister of State (Local Government), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Oldham East and Saddleworth, Labour)
I will answer that question directly as well. The hon. Member for Meriden has also asked, further to the 20 September announcement, what work the Valuation Office Agency is currently conducting in relation to valuation. The statutory responsibilities of the listings officers employed by the Valuation Office Agency to compile and maintain valuation lists for council tax purposes in England continue.
For the current lists—those based on the 1993 council tax—that means banding new properties, amending the banding of existing properties where appropriate and deleting entries from the list when properties are demolished or converted to non-domestic use. Those activities will now be undertaken with the benefit of the newly digitised database of property records, which the Valuation Office Agency will ensure continues to be comprehensive and up to date. That means that the Valuation Office Agency can introduce improved processes for handling data internally, as it will no longer be reliant on paper records, and can also provide a better service to council tax payers and billing authorities in relation to the 1993 lists. In particular, it will be better placed to deal quickly with inquiries or appeals from taxpayers about their current bandings and to undertake revaluations when required.
Additionally, to secure the investment made to date in the computer system known as the automated valuation model technology, the Valuation Office Agency will ensure that the model is available for use in all locations. Although it has been introduced to support the 2007 revaluation, the Valuation Office Agency plans, with my support, to use the model’s capability to support decisions on properties for the 1993 list, and also for other valuation work on domestic property that it undertakes within its statutory remit.
Costs were incurred in the preparation, which one would now describe as having been wasted—I am referring to the £15 million. The £45 million that the Valuation Office Agency refers to—it is important to remember that that body is independent of Government—relates to the investment in the AVM technology. The Committee will be pleased to learn that that technology is first class, and that it works.
Mr. Burrowesrose—