Asked by: Danny Kinahan (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to halt the proposed business rates increase for commercial solar installations.
Answered by Marcus Jones
Business rates policy in Northern Ireland is devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly. In England, business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We will put in place a £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme for England to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.
Asked by: Danny Kinahan (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of recent changes in business rates on corporate demand for rooftop solar power.
Answered by Marcus Jones
Draft 2017 rateable values prepared independently by the Valuation Office Agency will be published for the first time on 30 September 2016. Once rateable values are available we will look closely at the impacts of the forthcoming revaluation and consult on how to make sure the right support is in place for businesses to adjust to any changes.