08/11/06 St.Andrews Agreement is key to rates proposals
Finance Minister, David Hanson MP, has responded to claims of confusion about what was agreed in last night’s House of Lords debate on the legislation underpinning Northern Ireland’s new domestic rating system.
Speaking tonight, he said:
“Anyone who has read the terms of the Agreement reached at St Andrews last month will know that Government offered the parties a cap on rates and agreed to consider extra help for pensioners on low incomes.
“That deal, agreed at St Andrews, was in the context of the parties signing up to a restoration of devolution by the deadline of 24 November. If, as we hope, it becomes clear that the Assembly will be restored by 26 March 2007, there will still be some scope in the intervening months for it to consider further adjustments to a cap and to help for pensioners on low incomes, in the run-up to the new rates bills being issued next April.
“We are indebted to the amendment proposed by Lord Glentoran, which we accepted in good faith. The amendment set the cap at £500,000 and confirmed agreement to discuss extra help for pensioners. It also instructed us to work closely with the parties in Northern Ireland towards introducing a capital value system that includes a cap and additional help for lower income pensioner households.
“I am on the record both yesterday and today as saying that that is what we want to do.
“My next task is to consult with the parties in Northern Ireland and those who raised issues at Westminster, on how best to apply the additional reliefs for low income pensioners. This will also include the setting up of a Working Group to seek the views of the bodies that represent older people.
“I will report back to the parties on the outcome of these consultations in the coming weeks.”
Note for Editors:
The Draft Rates (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 2006 completed its passage through Parliament last night.
