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Non-Domestic Rates Bill (Diplomatic Missions)

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written statement – made at on 28 November 2006.

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Photo of Margaret Beckett Margaret Beckett Foreign Secretary

The Majority of diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom pay the national non-domestic rates (NNDR) requested from them. They are obliged to pay only 6 per cent. of the total NNDR value which represents payment for specific services such as street cleaning, lighting, maintenance and fire services. The total amount outstanding from all diplomatic missions is approximately £850,000.00. However, as at 1 July 2006 missions listed below owed over £10,000 in respect of NNDR. Eight additional diplomatic missions, who owe £10,000 or more in respect of NNDR, have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts and have not been included in this list.

CountryAmount

Algeria£59,058.33

Zimbabwe£54,605.88

Cameroon£38,126.01

Mozambique£36,970.23

Bangladesh£31,703.18

Malawi£27,843.99

Senegal£23,781.95

Yemen Republic£17,618.15

Ukraine£11,665.02

Tunisia£10,845.06

Iraq (Interests Section of Jordanian Embassy)£10,564.88

Bolivia£10,207.13

TOTAL£332,989.81

majority

The term "majority" is used in two ways in Parliament. Firstly a Government cannot operate effectively unless it can command a majority in the House of Commons - a majority means winning more than 50% of the votes in a division. Should a Government fail to hold the confidence of the House, it has to hold a General Election. Secondly the term can also be used in an election, where it refers to the margin which the candidate with the most votes has over the candidate coming second. To win a seat a candidate need only have a majority of 1.