Rating (Empty Properties) Bill

The Minister is indeed not daft, but he is unnecessarily evasive. As he kindly acknowledged, the amendments deal specifically with a requirement that properties that are the subject of planning applications should be exempt. The Government are about to undertake one of the biggest upheavals to the planning system, perhaps since 1991 and certainly since 2004. Given that they say that the planning system will be made more efficient as a result of those changes, it is irresponsible of the Minister to leave that gaping void at the heart of the debate.