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Rating (Empty Properties) Bill

Amendment No. 6 has my support, imperfections and all. I am surprised that the Minister has not yet intervened to say either that he accepts the amendment in its entirety, or that he accepts its spirit. Nor has he said that he will deal with the exemptions by putting them in the Bill. My right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) said that the Government might take action later through regulations, but clause 1(2), which we have not yet discussed, contains some exemptions, for which there will be zero rating. They include cases in which"““the ratepayer is a charity or trustees for a charity””" and in which"““the ratepayer is a registered club for the purposes of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 2002””." If the Minister has seen fit to put those two exemptions in the Bill, why has he not seen fit to indicate to the House that he will accept amendment No. 6? It seems only right and proper that the exemptions itemised in the amendment be added to the Bill.