HC Deb 02 December 1987 vol 123 cc615-9W
13 Mr. Bernie Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many(a) individuals, (b) local authorities and (c) voluntary organisations have submitted comments to him in respect of Cmnd. 9714, "Paying for Local Government".

Mr. Chope

Of the 1,217 responses received before the end of the consultation period on 31 October 1986, 479 were from private individuals, 268 were from principal local authorities, and 14 from voluntary organisations.

22. Mr. Geraint Howells

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to publish a White Paper on rates reform.

Mr. Chope

The Government's proposals for reforming the rating system were set out in a Green Paper published in January 1986. Consultation on the proposals ran until October of last year. We propose to introduce the necessary legislation shortly.

28. Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has now received to date to his consultation document "The Community Charge".

Mr. Chope

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray) on 4 November at column928.

45. Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Leicester city council concerning the implementation of the proposed poll tax.

Mr. Howard

Leicester city council responded to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" but has made no specific representations on the implementation of the community charge.

46. Mr. Jim Callaghan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now proposes to introduce the community charge legislation.

51. Mr. Litherland

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now proposes to introduce legislation on the community charge and uniform business rate.

Mr. Howard

Shortly.

47. Mr. Cryer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of letters which his Department has now received about the proposed poll tax, and the number of letters critical of the tax.

53. Mr. Canavan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has now received about the poll tax.

Mr. Howard

A summary of the 1,271 responses received by the Department before 31 October 1986, when the consultation period on the Green Paper ended, was placed in the Library on 15 December last. Since June 1987, the Department has received more than 3,500 letters commenting on specific aspects of our proposals or requesting further information.

55. Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the observations of the National Council for Civil Liberties on the proposed community charge.

Mr. Howard

None, since the NCCL's report was not sent to me.

65. Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the proportion of local government income which will be levied locally after the introduction of the poll tax.

Mr. Howard

We have received a number of representations from those who are concerned that percentage changes in community charges will be disproportionate to percentage changes in expenditure. Our proposals for the way in which grant and non-domestic rates will be paid address this concern and will ensure that when the scheme is fully implemented, local authorities' gross community charges will increase in line with increases in expenditure in both cash and percentage terms.

76. Mr. Skinner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any representations regarding the imposition of the poll tax from Dulwich; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Howard

Information on responses to the Green Paper received during the consultation period were recorded by local authority area by borough in London.

Of the 1217 responses received by my Department before 31 October 1986 when the consultation period on the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) ended, four were from respondents then resident in the London borough of Southwark.

80. Mr. Allen McKay

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from voluntary organisations in respect of the proposed community charge.

Mr. Howard

We have received representations from a number of voluntary organisations, about the community charge, in response to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714), (in respect of which a summary of responses was placed in the Library on 15 December 1986) and subsequently.

86. Mr. Eastham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings have taken place between his officials and representatives of voluntary organisations to discuss the proposed community charge.

Mr. Howard

Officials have met representatives of The National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Salvation Army, Women's Aid Federation England and Welsh Women's Aid.

88. Mr. McCrindle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many recent representations he has received on the uniform business rate.

Mr. Howard

I continue to receive representations on all aspects of our proposals for reform of the rating system.

93. Mr. Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of poll tax register changes per annum which will be required in England and Wales.

Mr. Howard

Surveys indicate that about 15 per cent. of registered electors change addresses each year, while a sample of local authorities suggests that up to 20 per cent. of rate bills are subject to such changes. While more individuals will appear on community charge registers than on rating rolls, I would not expect a large increase in the proportion of entries requiring change.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, following his revised proposals for the introduction of the poll tax, which he announced on 17 November, he will say(a) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants of income support (including any dependants) in the year 1994–95, assuming that real local authority expenditure levels and the number of income support claimants remain constant at 1988–89 levels (b) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants of income support, including any dependants, in the year 1994–5 on the same assumptions, in each region of the United Kingdom, (c) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants, including any dependants, in receipt of housing benefit and not in receipt of income support in the year 1994–95, on the same assumptions, and (d) what will be the average poll tax bill for claimants, including any dependants, in receipt of housing benefit and not in receipt of income support in the year 1994–95, on the same assumptions, in each region of the United Kingdom;

(2) if, following his revised proposals for the poll tax announced on 17 November, he will indicate (a) what proportion of adults in each region of the United Kingdom are in families (i) expected to be in receipt of income support from April 1988 and (ii) expected to be in receipt of housing benefit from April 1988, (b) whether claimants of income support will continue to be entitled to rebates of at least 80 per cent. of their poll tax bills, at least until the transition to the poll tax is completed, in 1994–95, and (c) whether applicable amounts, on the basis of which income support and poll tax rebates will be calculated (i) up-rated in line with the retail prices index at least until 1994–95, and (ii) including an amount equal to 20 per cent. of the average poll tax bill for claimants on income support for as long as such claimants are liable for 20 per cent. of their poll tax bills.

Mr. Howard

AU recipients of income support will be entitled to 80 per cent. community charge rebates. If the new system had been fully in force in 1987–88, the average community charge bill would have been £224; the average amount paid by income support recipients would therefore have been £45; The average for each region, on the same assumptions, would be:

£ £
Northern region 256 51
Yorkshire and Humberside 233 47
North West 233 45
East Midlands 206 41
West Midlands 183 37
East Anglia 172 34
Greater London 348 70
South East 184 37
South West 186 37

Estimates for 1988–89 are not available. Those receiving housing benefit, but not income support, will receive rebates of up to 80 per cent. of the community charge.

The number of adults in each region expected to be in receipt of income support from April 1988 and the number of adults in each region expected to be in receipt of housing benefit from April 1988 are not available. The level of applicable amounts in 1994 will be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services at the appropriate time.

Mrs. Gorman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his consideration of the measures that may be necessary to ensure that the community charges register cannot be used to track down political refugees and battered wives; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Howard

A number of representations have been made by women's aid groups and on behalf of political refugees, expressing concern that the community charges register could be used to track down political refugees and battered wives.

Following recent discussions between officials from this Department and the Welsh Office, and representatives of Women's Aid Federation England and Welsh Women's Aid; we have decided to take steps to protect the confidentiality of people at risk, to enable them to register for the community charge without making public their names and addresses.

Community charges registration officers will be required to omit from the published version of the register the name of any individual who satisfies them that he or she may suffer physical injury if his or her name is listed. In cases where this would result in an address being listed with no corresponding name, the address will also be omitted, thus ensuring that attention is not drawn to properties where people at risk are resident.

This is a move which should be welcomed by women's aid groups and by political refugees. It will enable people who live under the threat of violence to meet their obligation to register for the community charge, safe in the knowledge that there is no risk involved.

Mr. Rooker

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce details of the poll tax rebate system.

Mr. Scott

I have been asked to reply. We hope to publish draft community charge rebate regulations in the spring or early summer of 1988, following consultations with the local authority associations.

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