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Port Business Rates

Yes, and my hon. Friend illustrated that gulf marvellously well. We now have a situation in which a company such as Scotline has ceased to trade because of the time taken by the Valuation Office Agency to arrive at the correct liability. I have heard the details of the situation in my hon. Friend's constituency and I have talked in huge detail about other specialist areas of valuation, such as the vexed question of petrol stations. I shall not go into that in any detail because you might be in danger of falling asleep, Mr. Benton. However, the question is vexed and keeps the owners of petrol stations and this Minister awake at night. Another specialist area is that of telecoms, with the differential ways in which BT and the fibre-optic providers are measured. That case has gone as far as the European courts and the Court of Appeal in this country. I have spoken to Treasury Ministers because, owing to the way Government responsibilities are split, the Valuation Office Agency falls under the Treasury, whereas the structure for collection, which is local authorities—billing authorities—falls under my Department. I am in discussion with Treasury Ministers about what we can do to make the fast-track process truly fast track, and the system more responsive to the needs of business. I shall keep my hon. Friend informed of progress. I am taking the issue up as a matter of urgency—I am speaking to a Treasury Minister tomorrow—because I am aware of the cliff we are all facing.