HC Deb 17 February 1988 vol 127 cc960-1
2. Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received from members of the public (a) in support of the community charge and (b) opposed to the community charge.

Mr. Ridley

A summary of the 1,271 responses received by 31 October 1986, when the consultation period on the Green Paper ended, was placed in the Library on 15 December 1986. Since then my Department has received a large number of letters commenting on specific aspects of our proposals and requesting further information.

Mrs. Mahon

I am disappointed that the Secretary of State did not answer the question. I believe that there is unanimous opposition from the whole spectrum of political thought in this country. In my constituency, the totally unjust tax will mean that an average household of three adults will pay £770 as against £322 now. How will low-income families find that extra £450?

Mr. Ridley

The hon. Lady should put that question to Calderdale, because that council is currently spending about £83 per adult over the average for the country. It has time to reduce its costs and charges, because we have instituted a safety net that will limit the impact on Calderdale. The only opponent is the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker), who does not think that Birmingham should contribute to Calderdale.

Mr. Latham

Will my hon. Friend inform the House how many of those letters said, "Can we please keep the rating system and, while we are about it, can we have the rating revaluation that would otherwise be necessary?"

Mr. Ridley

In the original consultation exercise the responses favouring abolition of domestic rates outnumbered those favouring retention by two to one. We have not analysed the letters after that, because they do not express clear opinions, but make limited points or ask questions.

Mr. Rees

Have any of the Secretary of State's correspondents asked whether it would be in order for the voters' list to be checked against the poll tax list in order to aid prosecution?

Mr. Ridley

Those matters have been discussed extensively upstairs. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, the voters' list is a public document, and I have no doubt that community charge registration officers will see it, just as they see many other bits of evidence in arriving at registrations.

Mr. Marlow

With the greatest respect, was that not a rather silly and stupid question? Is not the weight of correspondence dependent on the activity of the lobbies? Is not the Government's responsibility to introduce policies that are effective and will be popular, not what people might think according to some biased question put in an opinion poll before a policy is introduced?

Mr. Ridley

We have received about 5,000 letters on this subject, and 35 million people will be liable to pay the community charge. The statisticians in the House will recognise that that is an insignificant proportion.

Mr. Rooker

Would it be a good idea if, even after the legislation has passed through the House on the conveyor belt after the guillotine, the Government put this issue to the people again, because of its substantial constitutional importance, to determine whether they would prefer the tax to be based in the way in which the Prime Minister originally said it would be on people's ability to pay?

Mr. Ridley

We put that issue to the people in June last year, and the hon. Gentleman was lucky to retain his seat.