To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many properties owned by the Department were liable for payment of (a) business rates and (b) empty property rates in each of the last five years; and what the liability of each was in each such year. (290446)

The information requested is provided as follows.

The Department has occupied two freehold properties for which business rates are paid during the five-year period.

Information in relation to empty business rates is not readily available other than for the last two years.