1991 - PMQT Written Answers 20th March 1991

Below is the text of the written answers relating to Prime Minister's Question Time from 20th March 1991.

 

PRIME MINISTER:

Uniform Business Rate

Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the impact of the operation of the uniform business rate on (a) offices, (b) factories, (c) warehouses and (d) shops in Wales relative to England.

The Prime Minister : The uniform business rate poundage for 1990-91 has been set at 36.8p in the pound in Wales in order to raise broadly the same amount in real terms from private business and nationalised industries as in 1989-90. The same principle has been adopted in England.

The combined impact of the revaluation of non-domestic property and the introduction of the uniform business rate on the specified categories of property is shown in the tables :

Changes in aggregate rate bills<1>                      

between 1989-90 and 1990-91                             

              Percentage change                        

Property type |Wales        |England                    

--------------------------------------------------------

Offices       |0            |12

Factories     |-26          |-31

Warehouses    |-17          |-22

Shops         |21           |18

<1> After allowing for inflation as measured by the retail prices index and for appeals against valuation.  

Change in rate bills by property type, England and Wales                                                                  

                 Reduction (-) Increase (+) in rate bill, per cent.                                                      

                 England                                      Wales                                                      

Property type    |Overall       |Net change    |Overall       |Net change    |Net change                                  

                |change        |on UBR        |on revaluation|change        |on UBR        |on revaluation               

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Factories        |-31           |-9            |-22           |-26           |-1            |-26

Warehouses       |-22           |-6            |-15           |-17           |+1            |-17

Shops            |+18           |-1            |+19           |+21           |-             |+21

Offices          |+12           |+20           |-8            |-             |+7            |-8

Other properties |+12           |-5            |+16           |+12           |-             |+12

Changes in rate bills by property type, England and Wales

Reduction ( )/Increase ( ) in rate bill, per cent.

England Wales

Property type Overall change Net change on UBR Net change on revaluation Overall change Net change on UBR Net change on revaluation

Factories 31 9 22 26 1 26

Warehouses 22 6 15 17 1 17

Shops 18 1 19 21 -- 21

Offices 12 20 8 -- 7 8

Other properties 12 5 16 12 -- 12