12 To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to review the liability of property owners for business rates on empty commercial properties. (256293)

In the pre-Budget report, the Government temporarily raised the threshold for exemption from national non-domestic rates on empty properties from £2,200 to £15,000 to take effect from 1 April 2009. As a result, an estimated 70 per cent. of empty properties will be exempt from business rates in the 2009-10 tax year.

Any further decisions on taxation are matters for the Chancellor at Budget.