| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Feb 2007 : Column 544W—continued
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) the new discrete capital values system of domestic local taxation, (b) the change in local taxation on property due to changes in the regional and district rates and (c) the introduction of a capital-based system of water charging on long-term house prices in Northern Ireland. [120842]
Mr. Hanson: The University of Ulster looked at this issue in 2003 when it carried out its impact assessment of options for reform of the domestic rating system. Its findings were inconclusive. It did note that, as the new rating system is not a new tax but the redistribution of an existing tax, in the unlikely event that any measurable impact should emerge it could affect the market unevenly and in either direction, depending on location and sector. This work did not extend to examining the impact of Water Reform and no specific study has been carried out.
It should also be noted that recent evidence from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which referred to its European Housing Review 2007, shows that NI experienced the highest increases in Europe in 2006. This exceptional growth continues and it has included the period in which the Valuation and Lands Agency were advising individual householders in NI of their new capital values, together with an indication of their new rate liability. This would suggest that rating and water reform have not affected the residential property market in NI.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate has been made of the number of appeals against the new domestic capital value ratings (a) prior to 1 April 2007, (b) in the 12 months from 1 April 2007 and (c) in 2008-09. [120856]
Mr. Hanson: The Valuation and Lands Agency estimate that there will be:
(a) 27,000 informal reviews before 1 April 2007;
(b) 35,000 applications for review of the new capital values and it is estimated that some 7,000 of these will proceed to the Commissioner of Valuation; and
(c) no estimates have been finalised for 2008-09.
Energy: Northern Ireland
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will (a) estimate the total cost to the public purse of free distribution of three energy efficient light bulbs to every home in Northern Ireland and (b) assess the environmental impact of such a move. [120877]
Maria Eagle: The estimated cost of supplying three energy efficient light bulbs to every home in Northern Ireland is £7.59 million. This could result in electricity savings of 1648 GWh and a saving of 360,294 tonnes of carbon during the lifetime of the bulbs. This equates to a yearly carbon saving of 16,574 tonnes.
Garages and Petrol Stations: Northern Ireland
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many retail petrol stations there were in Northern Ireland in 1997; and how many there are in 2007. [121180]
Maria Eagle: Government do not hold this figure centrally. However, figures obtained from the Northern Ireland petrol retailing industry estimate the figures for licensed premises as approximately 550 for 2007 compared to 1,000 in 1997.
Invest Northern Ireland: Limavady
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many potential inward investors have been to (a) Limavady and (b) Coleraine council area at the invitation of Invest Northern Ireland during 2006. [120289]
Maria Eagle: During 2006 there were no visits under the auspices of Invest Northern Ireland to Limavady and Coleraine council areas by potential inward investors.
Invest Northern Ireland: Londonderry
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public funding has been spent by Invest Northern Ireland on offering assistance to representatives of companies in the East Londonderry constituency in each of the last two years. [120288]
Maria Eagle: The following table details the amount of assistance offered by Invest NI within the constituency of East Londonderry in each of the two years from 2004-05 to 2005-06.
| £ million | |
| Financial year | Assistance offered |
Irish Language
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether an economic appraisal has been undertaken to estimate the cost implications across all Northern Ireland Government Departments if the Irish Language Bill envisaged in the St. Andrews Agreement is enacted. [120426]
Maria Eagle: While a formal economic appraisal has not been undertaken a financial impact assessment was carried out. The assessment looked at the cost of implementing similar legislation in Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. This information along with an account of the expenditure incurred by Northern Ireland Departments on the Irish language during the previous financial year was included as chapter 7 of the consultation paper. After the consultation period has ended the costs and benefits analysis will be revisited within the context of assessing the options for the Bill and the preparation of a regulatory impact assessment.
Local Government Finance
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2006, Official Report, column 836-7W, on local government finance, whether a material change to a domestic property that changed the capital value of the property where the property ownership has not changed would change the domestic rates bill before the time of the next rates revaluation. [119526]
Mr. Hanson: Under the existing NAV system and new rates system a material change to a domestic property that changes the rental or capital value of the property, where the property ownership has not changed, will change the domestic rates bill. However, under the new capital value system, these changes will now not have effect until on or after the commencement of the rating year immediately following the year in which the change is made.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2006, Official Report, column 872W, on local government finance, whether non-structural changes may count as material changes when determining changes in the capital value of the property. [120827]
Mr. Hanson: Under current rating legislation some non-structural changes may count as material changes when determining changes in the capital value of a property. A full list of such changes can be found in schedule 6 of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977.
NHS: Laboratories
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) clinical biochemistry, (b) haematology, (c) histopathology, (d) cytopathology and (e) microbiology tests and investigations were conducted at each health service laboratory in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. [120341]
Paul Goggins: Information on the number of (a) clinical biochemistry, (b) haematology, (c) histopathology, (d) cytopathology and (e) microbiology tests or investigations conducted at each health service laboratory in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is not readily available. However, the number of tests conducted at each trust for the last four years is detailed in the following table. The Department started to collect this information in 2001-02 and so caution should be taken with the first year’s data. 2005-06 data are not yet available.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of pathology and laboratory services provision in the Northern Ireland health service in each of the last 10 years. [120344]
Paul Goggins: The cost of pathology and laboratory services provision in the Northern Ireland health service for the financial years 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 is shown in the following table. Information for other years is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| Financial year | Total cost (£) |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |