Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of having a Council Tax exemption for flats or accommodation above public houses when the public house is empty and the building is due undergo refurbishment.

The Government has no plans to introduce a mandatory council tax exemption for accommodation above a public house undergoing renovation. Councils have discretion, under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, to provide their own council tax discounts and exemptions where they consider it appropriate.