Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that non-commercial rooftop solar cells and storage installed on public buildings are not charged business rates.

Plant and machinery used to provide services within a property, such as solar power, is normally included in the business rates assessment. This is an established principle in the business rates system and ensures that all buildings are assessed as including the services they need for their use. In contrast, most plant and machinery used in a trade process is not rateable.

The government has put in place a £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme for England to support ratepayers, including those with solar cells, at the 2017 revaluation. We do not believe it would be appropriate to provide additional support for public buildings.