(2) how much was claimed in small business rate relief by (a) small businesses and (b) post offices in each financial year since April 2005;
(3) how many post offices claimed small business rate relief in each financial year since April 2005; and what the value of relief claimed by each post office branch was in each year.
Local authorities reported there were 392,000 businesses in England in receipt of small business rate relief as at 31 December 2006, the only year for which this information is currently available. Information on the number of businesses who are eligible for small business rate relief is not available.
Details of the total relief granted since 2005-06 are given, in millions, in the following table:
£ million 2005-06 202 2006-07 237 2007-08 235
Data for 2005-06 and 2006-07 are outturn figures while the figure for 2007-08 is a forecast.
It is not possible to say how many post offices claim small business rate relief or the value of the relief granted as we do not collect data on the type of business claiming small business rate relief or the value.