Overview

The Northern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) Bill sets the regional rate for Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2019 and amends the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme Regulations to adjust payments for biomass installations.

Description

This bill addresses two key areas:

Regional Rates

The bill specifies the regional rate to be levied on rateable values of properties in Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2019. The rate is set at 33.41 pence in the pound for net annual values and 0.4365 pence in the pound for rateable capital values. The Department can vary these rates after all Ministerial offices are filled following the bill's passage.

Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme

The bill amends the RHI scheme regulations, primarily affecting those with biomass installations accredited before 18 November 2015. It adjusts the tariffs for these installations for the period beginning with the bill's enactment and ending 31 March 2019, based on the 2017 Retail Prices Index. The changes specify different tariff levels (Tier 1 and Tier 2) depending on installation size (small or medium biomass) and heat generated. Existing regulations are also maintained to cover heat generated before 1 April 2018.

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is twofold: Setting the regional rate will affect the revenue collected by the Northern Ireland government. The adjustments to the RHI scheme will likely alter the amount of payments made under the scheme, though precise figures are not provided in the bill itself. The overall financial impact will depend on factors not specified in the bill.

Groups Affected

Groups potentially affected include:

• Ratepayers in Northern Ireland: They will be affected by the level of the regional rate set in the bill.
• Participants in the RHI scheme (particularly those with biomass installations accredited before 18 November 2015): Their payments under the scheme will be affected by the tariff adjustments outlined in the bill.
• Northern Ireland Government: The bill directly impacts their revenue (regional rates) and expenditure (RHI payments).

Powered by nyModel