Business Rate Supplements (Rateable Value Condition) (England) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2542). Considered by Delegated Legislation Committee. Agreed to on division (10 votes to 3).

Business Rate Supplements (Rateable Value Condition) (England) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2542). Considered by Delegated Legislation Committee. Agreed to on division (10 votes to 3).

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will reject any proposals to introduce a victims' surcharge for fixed penalties and on the spot fines; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will reject any proposals to introduce a victims' surcharge for fixed penalties and on the spot fines; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many hereditaments in London will be liable for supplementary business rate in London from April 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many hereditaments in London will be liable for supplementary business rate in London from April 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been raised by the surcharge on fines, pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Surcharge) (No. 2) Order 2007 in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been raised by the surcharge on fines, pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Surcharge) (No. 2) Order 2007 in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations in each county have received grants made from the Victims Fund containing the surcharge on fines pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Surcharge) (No. 2) Order 2007.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations in each county have received grants made from the Victims Fund containing the surcharge on fines pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Surcharge) (No. 2) Order 2007.

I beg to move, That this House agrees with Lords amendment 7.

I beg to move, That this House agrees with Lords amendment 7.

The right hon. Gentleman is characteristically perceptive and well informed, and he is right. I am sorry if I am being less combative than I sometimes am—I thought that I was being reasonably vigorous—but the reason we regard Lords amendment 11 as so important is because of a desire to...

The right hon. Gentleman is characteristically perceptive and well informed, and he is right. I am sorry if I am being less combative than I sometimes am—I thought that I was being reasonably vigorous—but the reason we regard Lords amendment 11 as so important is because of a desire to...

The Minister is being very generous. I hope that I shall not need to intervene again. In the context of certainty, has the Minister seen a copy of the letter from the director general of the Confederation of British Industry dated 12 June and sent to her right hon. Friend...

The Minister is being very generous. I hope that I shall not need to intervene again. In the context of certainty, has the Minister seen a copy of the letter from the director general of the Confederation of British Industry dated 12 June and sent to her right hon. Friend...

Will the right hon. Gentleman add, for the sake of completeness, that the same Mayor of London says that although he thinks that that applies to Crossrail, he has no desire for it to apply anywhere else?

Will the right hon. Gentleman add, for the sake of completeness, that the same Mayor of London says that although he thinks that that applies to Crossrail, he has no desire for it to apply anywhere else?

The hon. Gentleman will know very well that the Crossrail BRS levy will be in place for some 20 years. I think that Boris Johnson, however ambitious he may be—he probably has ambitions to take over the leadership of the Conservative party in this place—will certainly not be in place...

The hon. Gentleman will know very well that the Crossrail BRS levy will be in place for some 20 years. I think that Boris Johnson, however ambitious he may be—he probably has ambitions to take over the leadership of the Conservative party in this place—will certainly not be in place...

I must say to the hon. Gentleman that there is a total inconsistency in arguing that Crossrail is a good thing and should be supported without a ballot—we must remember that the business community is saying that there should be no ballot on Crossrail, because it is a relatively small...

I must say to the hon. Gentleman that there is a total inconsistency in arguing that Crossrail is a good thing and should be supported without a ballot—we must remember that the business community is saying that there should be no ballot on Crossrail, because it is a relatively small...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill). He referred in his opening remarks to his longevity in his post in comparison with my hon. Friend the Minister, who has just assumed her post. I agree, and I wish him even greater longevity...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill). He referred in his opening remarks to his longevity in his post in comparison with my hon. Friend the Minister, who has just assumed her post. I agree, and I wish him even greater longevity...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for giving way with his customary courtesy. How does he reconcile the fact that the very same business organisations that support Crossrail also say that there should be a mandatory ballot anywhere else? It is because they know that Crossrail is a unique project...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for giving way with his customary courtesy. How does he reconcile the fact that the very same business organisations that support Crossrail also say that there should be a mandatory ballot anywhere else? It is because they know that Crossrail is a unique project...

I will ascertain from my right hon. Friend's office when a response will be forthcoming, but I am sure that today's debate will constitute an element of that response. We do not want to limit the BRS as really only an attractive option for use as the sole funding mechanism...

I will ascertain from my right hon. Friend's office when a response will be forthcoming, but I am sure that today's debate will constitute an element of that response. We do not want to limit the BRS as really only an attractive option for use as the sole funding mechanism...

This is the first time that I have had the pleasure of doing business on local government issues with the Minister. As a member of a shadow team that has been in place a little longer than the Government team, I welcome her to her new post, and look forward...

This is the first time that I have had the pleasure of doing business on local government issues with the Minister. As a member of a shadow team that has been in place a little longer than the Government team, I welcome her to her new post, and look forward...

I am experiencing déjà vu, albeit that some of the faces have changed; I, of course, welcome the new Minister. Unlike the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill), I have had the opportunity to do that, even if I have not done so formally, in Committee, where we...

I am experiencing déjà vu, albeit that some of the faces have changed; I, of course, welcome the new Minister. Unlike the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill), I have had the opportunity to do that, even if I have not done so formally, in Committee, where we...

In most BID cases—I cannot say all, because I am not sure of the precise figures—the BID levy is far and away the largest contributor to the BID project in the area. Voluntary contributions may be made by some property owners or the local authority, but the BID levy is...

In most BID cases—I cannot say all, because I am not sure of the precise figures—the BID levy is far and away the largest contributor to the BID project in the area. Voluntary contributions may be made by some property owners or the local authority, but the BID levy is...

Clearly, that is the Government's argument—that it is possible to have a threshold beyond which the impact on businesses is not sufficient to necessitate a ballot. I do not agree. We could get into an argument about the right point for that threshold, but—as we have argued throughout—a ballot sends...

Clearly, that is the Government's argument—that it is possible to have a threshold beyond which the impact on businesses is not sufficient to necessitate a ballot. I do not agree. We could get into an argument about the right point for that threshold, but—as we have argued throughout—a ballot sends...

I thank the hon. Members who have contributed to this debate. I am sure that the hon. Members for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) and for North Cornwall (Dan Rogerson) will not be surprised to hear that they have not managed to persuade me with their arguments. The amendment concerns...

I thank the hon. Members who have contributed to this debate. I am sure that the hon. Members for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) and for North Cornwall (Dan Rogerson) will not be surprised to hear that they have not managed to persuade me with their arguments. The amendment concerns...