The Chancellor had a chance to limit the damage being done to the economy in general, and the property and construction sectors in particular, by the removal of empty property rating relief. The stealth tax on empty property is having a wide ranging detrimental effect throughout the country and despite lobbying from all sectors of the business community the pleas in respect of business rates have been ignored.  With no help coming from Government we will have to put up with the demolition of the country's building stock as cash strapped businesses try to help themselves.