PORT RATES AND THE VALUATION OFFICE AGENCY

That this House is concerned that the Valuation Office Agency, having failed to fulfil its responsibility to separately assess and list port companies in 2005 because it got 600 wrong and missed another 700 altogether, is now imposing the consequences of its own incompetence on the companies by massive demands for retrospective rates; considers that no government agency should have the draconian powers to impose huge retrospective charges out of the blue and acknowledges that the consequences will be job and investment losses, insolvencies and major costs on Britain's ports; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to cancel these retrospective demands before local authorities are required to begin recovery proceedings; recognises that the companies have already been paying business rates through the cumulo rented system and should not be charged double taxation; and further calls on the Government to accept that any other course of action is unjust, unfair, deeply damaging and ruinous for the affected ports.