AQW 18489/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 06/05/2021
Answered On Date: 14/05/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance, in a case where an applicant can show their Net Annual Value is close to £15,001 and that they can demonstrate they are a medium manufacturing business in terms of turnover and other measures, to detail the discretion he has on the authorisation of the £25,000 Manufacturing (Industrial Derating) Support Grant.

Answer:

Land & Property Services (LPS) must administer the Manufacturing (Industrial Derating) Support Grant support in accordance with the Regulations which give the Department the legal authority to make the grants. Those regulations do not give the Department any power to apply discretion on the eligibility criteria.

The Manufacturing (Industrial Derating) Support Grant provides support to businesses that occupied commercial premises with a Net Annual Value (NAV) between £15,001 and £51,000 who benefit from industrial derating as at 1 March 2021, subject to scheme eligibility and in line with the associated Regulations. If the business’s NAV is under £15,001 they are not eligible for the scheme as the NAV falls below the threshold.

LPS would also consider applications for this support grant from businesses that applied to have their NAV reassessed before the 1 March 2021. If a business made an application to LPS to have their NAV reassessed before 1 March 2021, they can contact LPS using the online form at Coronavirus: Large NAV Business Grant (nibusinessinfo.co.uk) and they will be advised of the next step. If a business has not applied to have their NAV reassessed before the 1 March 2021 there is no facility to request a review for the purpose of accessing this grant.