Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on council tax relief for fire-damaged properties.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where a property is uninhabitable due to damage it may be removed from the council tax list. No one will be liable for council tax for the property whilst it is removed from the list. It is for the Valuation Office Agency to determine whether a property is uninhabitable for council tax purposes.
Where a property remains on the list, councils have the discretionary power to provide their own discounts where they consider this appropriate. It is for councils to decide whether to apply a discount. Households may wish to contact their council directly about this.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review the level of council tax support for people whose homes have been rendered uninhabitable by fire in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There is no specific council tax exemption for properties which have been damaged by fire. However, where a property is uninhabitable due to damage it may be removed from the council tax list. No one will be liable for council tax for the property whilst it is removed from the list. It is for the Valuation Office Agency to determine whether a property is uninhabitable for council tax purposes. The government has no plans to change this policy.
Where a property remains on the list, councils have the discretionary power to provide their own discounts where they consider this appropriate. It is for councils to decide whether to apply a discount. Households may wish to contact their council directly about this.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has assessed the adequacy of council tax exemptions for fire-damaged homes in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There is no specific council tax exemption for properties which have been damaged by fire. However, where a property is uninhabitable due to damage it may be removed from the council tax list. No one will be liable for council tax for the property whilst it is removed from the list. It is for the Valuation Office Agency to determine whether a property is uninhabitable for council tax purposes. The government has no plans to change this policy.
Where a property remains on the list, councils have the discretionary power to provide their own discounts where they consider this appropriate. It is for councils to decide whether to apply a discount. Households may wish to contact their council directly about this.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support homeowners whose properties are uninhabitable due to fire damage, including through council tax exemptions.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There is no specific council tax exemption for properties which have been damaged by fire. However, where a property is uninhabitable due to damage it may be removed from the council tax list. No one will be liable for council tax for the property whilst it is removed from the list. It is for the Valuation Office Agency to determine whether a property is uninhabitable for council tax purposes. The government has no plans to change this policy.
Where households are homeless or at risk of homelessness, they should reach out to their local council for advice and support.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when were businesses notified of the reclassification of valerian root by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate considers valerian root to be medicinal by function, above a certain strength, in line with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 (as amended) definition of a veterinary medicine. The medicinal status applied to valerian root was established in 1992 and the substance has not been reclassified.