TAX TREATMENT OF SECOND HOMES

Motion Text

That this House believes that it is no longer acceptable under the existing council tax system to spend ú200 million of tax payers' money subsidising the wealthy to have second homes when there are many thousands of people who live in areas of high second home ownership who do not even have a decent first home; welcomes the Government's announcement last year that it intends to abolish this discount; further notes that even the Conservatives, who brought in the legislation, agree that the favourable treatment of second homes is no longer acceptable; and, in view of this cross party support, calls upon the Government to speed up the timetable to end this anomaly.