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Rating and Valuation (S.I., 2009, No. 204)

My hon. Friend makes a powerful point, and many of us who have harbours and ports in our constituencies have heard it first hand. Is the timing of the measure not doubly insensitive? The port in my constituency has many businesses importing timber and building materials for the building industry, which has been particularly hard hit. Those businesses are being asked to take a hit at a bad time in the economic cycle, when their balance sheets are pretty shot to ribbons, and it will push them absolutely over the edge in some cases.