To ask the Scottish Executive whether Her Majesty’s Government pays rates on buildings and land that it rents or owns in Scotland and, if so, how much revenue this generates annually for the Executive and Scottish local authorities.

Government departments pay rates on the buildings they occupy. Information is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive on the rates paid by UK Government Departments for the buildings they occupy in Scotland. In 2004-05, the total amount of non domestic rate income collected by councils in Scotland is estimated to be £1.8 billion.