Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to address variation between local authorities in the application of discretionary business rates relief for not-for-profit organisations.

Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 provides billing authorities with discretionary powers to award business rates reliefs to properties within their area. This is a local decision for individual billing authorities.