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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what responses he has received to his consultation paper on rate relief for farm diversification; and if he will make a statement. [151887] Ms Beverley Hughes: We received 68 responses to our consultation paper on rate relief for farm diversification, copies of which are available through the Library of the House. In the light of our consultation, we are proposing to implement a scheme to allow 50 per cent. rate relief for an initial period for five years to all new small businesses established on property that was previously subject to the agricultural exemption from rates. We also intend to implement the proposals in "Modernising Local Government Finance: A Green Paper", published last September, for extending the rate relief scheme for village shops to provide mandatory relief to certain food shops, pubs and petrol filling stations. Legislation to implement these proposals will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows. They are a significant contribution to realising the vision set out in the White Paper, "Our countryside: the future".

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

363 c689W; 151887

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Farms Business rates Tax allowances Shops Rural areas Diversification

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk