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147W
Written Answers
26 OCTOBER 2009
Written Answers
148W
No decisions have been made on changes to the
threshold for empty property relief as a result of revaluation
2010. Hereditaments with a rateable value of £50,000 or
less will be exempt from the business rate supplements.
In addition there is discretion within the Business Rate
Supplements Act 2009 for levying authorities to increase
the liability threshold.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State
for Communities and Local Government whether (a) a
small firm and (b) a rural proofing impact assessment
has been undertaken in respect of the 2010 rates
revaluation. [294886]
Barbara Follett: Regular revaluations are a standard
part of the business rates system and are required by
statute. Therefore, no impact assessment has been
undertaken by my Department on the overall
implementation of the 2010 business rates revaluation.
An impact assessment on the proposed transitional
arrangements scheme for revaluation 2010 was published
on 8 July and includes sections on rural areas and small
firms.
Non-Domestic Rates: Empty Property
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State
for Communities and Local Government what estimate
he has made of the change in revenue to accrue from
empty property rates relief in (a) 2008-09 and (b)
2009-10. [294908]
Barbara Follett: Local authorities reported they granted
£1,294 million of empty property relief in 2007-08 and
£487 million of empty property relief in 2008-09. They
estimate they will grant empty property relief of £570
million in 2009-10.
These data are available in the “National non-domestic
rates” statistics releases that are available on the
Communities and Local Government website at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/
localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/
nondomesticrates/
Non-Domestic Rates: Religious Buildings
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State
for Communities and Local Government pursuant to
the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and
Chislehurst of 3 June 2009, Official Report,
column 591W, on non-domestic rates: religious
buildings, what criteria the Registrar General uses
when determining whether to certify the premises of a
faith community or religion as a place of religious
worship. [294776]
Meg Hillier: I have been asked to reply.
The Places of Worship Registration Act 1855 provides
for places of meeting for religious worship to be certified
to the Registrar General but does not apply to the
established Church. When considering the registration
of a building which has been certified as a place of
religious worship, the Registrar General applies the
judgment by the Court of Appeal in the Segerdal case.
The main finding in the judgment is that the words
‘place of meeting for religious worship’ in the Act
connote a place of which the principal use is for people
to come together as a congregation to worship God or
do reverence to a deity. Apart from the Church of
England and the Church in Wales, any faith or
denomination which meets these criteria would be capable
of recognition under the 1855 Act.
Non-Domestic Rates: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government if he will place in
the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency’s
valuation scales for the 2010 business rates revaluation.
[294511]
Barbara Follett: The Valuation Office Agency has
published the valuation scales used for the 2010 non
domestic rating revaluation and they may be found on
the Agency’s website:
www.voa.gov.uk
“Help section”, valuation scale pages.
Parish Councils
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State
for Communities and Local Government what the
remit of the Local Government Ombudsman is in
respect of parish councils. [294890]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Local Government
Ombudsman has no remit in respect of parish and town
councils.
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government what recent
progress has been made on the disposal of the Queen
Elizabeth II Conference Centre; and if he will make a
statement. [291895]
Mr. Malik: The Department and the Shareholder
Executive commissioned a site development study on
the QEIICC in late June. This is about to be finalised
and considered. A further update on progress will be
provided at the time of the pre-Budget report 2009.
Racial Discrimination
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government pursuant to the
Written Ministerial Statement of 21 July 2009, Official
Report, columns 118-9WS, on the Tackling Race
Inequalities Fund, when he expects funding to be
allocated to each organisation listed. [293051]
Mr. Malik: The Tackling Race Inequalities Fund
programme was announced subject to agreeing detailed
work programmes and monitoring and reporting
arrangements.
As at 14 October my Department has approved 26 of
the detailed workplans out of the total 27 successful
projects.
The Tackling Race Inequalities Fund (TRIF) Managing
Agent—the Community Development Foundation
(CDF)—has issued a total of 24 funding agreements to
the TRIF funded organisations that have approved
workplans; they are currently in contact with the