To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many properties owned by the Department and its predecessors were liable for payment of (a) business rates and (b) empty property rates in each of the last five years; and what the bill for each was in each such year. (290566)

This Department owns only one building, situated in Edinburgh, which is fully occupied. This is a warehouse facility that is currently let to the British Geological Survey, part of the Natural Environment Research Council, and they are liable for the business rates bill. The building is let to them on a 10 year term which began in August 2005.

All other departmental buildings are leased.