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Belfast Live

National

Brendan Hughes

DUP urges Sinn Fein to explain £4m rates exemption for student apartment blocks

DUP Department of Finance Stormont Belfast Conor Murphy Gordon Lyons Sinn Féin SDLP

The DUP has urged Stormont's former Finance Minister to explain the "rationale" for maintaining a rates exemption for student apartment blocks which is costing the public purse around £4million annually in lost revenue.

Former Economy Minister Gordon Lyons, the DUP's finance spokesperson, said he would be seeking more information from the Department of Finance.

It comes after an SDLP North Belfast councillor said an unresolved "loophole" means some purpose-built student accommodation blocks do not pay rates.

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