To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will introduce in England a scheme with similar structure and objectives to the Northern Ireland scheme of business rate relief for automatic telling machines in rural areas. (202615)

There are no plans to introduce a mandatory rate relief for automatic telling machines in rural areas. However, the existing rural rate relief allows local authorities to grant up to 100 per cent. discretionary relief to a hereditament in a rural settlement with a rateable value of up to 14,000, where they judge that the business is of benefit to the community.