Business Rate Supplements Bill

I was speaking of the very important role that London borough councils now play in partnership with local businesses and in particular the major businesses, which tend to be the key employers in those boroughs, in driving the economic development of those boroughs. Therefore, it seems quite wrong that those major authorities should be excluded for all time from the Bill and from being levying authorities. I am certain that no London borough council is clamouring now to introduce an additional business rate supplement. Of course they are not, but to cite on Second Reading—funnily enough, arguing why other parts of the country should have the same powers as London—the Minister said: ""If and when the time is ripe and the partnerships agree and want to work on something exceptional that crosses different local authorities, why should they not have this opportunity?"." That was said in the context of authorities outside London, but it applies at least as much to authorities within London—London borough councils. As we know, the Bill when enacted will last for many years. We talk about 2035. At some stage during that time, there will be economic recovery. At some stage, some—probably not all—London boroughs will have a project that they want to go ahead with in partnership with local businesses. We will keep returning to the question of what "in partnership" means and reassurances to local businesses, but all that ought to apply to London borough councils as it does to all other first-tier authorities in the country. The time may be right one day and we need the provisions in the Bill for when that time arrives. Another point of great concern to London borough councils now is that they will be the billing authorities for the supplementary rate. We know that that will apply in London and why it will apply. They have been anxious for some time to know exactly what that will mean on implementation. Again, I cite the Minister at Second Reading, towards the end of her speech, when she said: ""We intend to consult shortly on the policy that will underpin the regulations. Even if we do not have the regulations in front of us, we will have the substance of the regulations to enable us to have an intelligent debate, and we can do that as soon as possible. We aim to issue the consultation paper on our proposals for secondary legislation very soon. With that in mind, I hope that we will be able to proceed before, if not during, Committee stage with a map in front of us of what implementation will look like".—[Official Report, 22/4/09; col. 1534-35.]" I have to ask the Minister: where is the map; why, when it was so confidently expected three weeks ago, is it still not with us; and when will it be? As it is not before us, I hope that the Minister will give some commitments: that London authorities, as billing authorities, will be able to recoup all additional costs of administering, collecting and enforcing the business rate supplement on behalf of the GLA; that if the London authorities are involved in a BRS consultation process, if there is one, the costs to them will be fully funded by the levying authority, in this case the GLA, although I suspect that that may not apply if it is going to be used only on Crossrail; and that the Government will undertake that they will review the operation of BRS in London—a commitment for the future, at least, if it cannot be forthcoming now. Most particularly, we would like to know the details of implementation and when this map is going to appear before us. I beg to move.