HC Deb 20 October 1993 vol 230 c264
5. Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what help is available to people living alone under the council tax.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Tony Baldry)

People living alone are entitled to a 25 per cent. discount on their council tax bill. Those on low incomes may also qualify for benefit to offset all or part of their council tax liability. They may also receive transitional relief, which eases the change from the community charge to the council tax.

Mr. Clappison

Does my hon. Friend agree that—unlike that proposed under recent Labour party policy—the help that he has just described is available for all single people? Does he further agree that the single people who are in the best position of all are those who live in Conservative-controlled areas? Is my hon. Friend aware of the very substantial difference between the council taxes levied in Conservative and in Labour areas?

Mr. Baldry

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Single people living in Conservative-held areas will know that, in addition to the discount, band for band, they are paying £100 less than they would if they were living in a Labour-controlled area. My hon. Friend is also right in believing—and it is worth remembering—that if the Labour party had had its wag, there would have been no discounts at all for single people under the council tax system.

Mr. Pike

Does not the Minister recall the Government's concern about the plight of single pensioners and widows living alone under the rating system? Does not he recognise that many hundreds of thousands of widows and pensioners living alone are paying far more in council tax than they were in rates or poll tax and that that is especially true of those living in low-value properties? Should not we introduce a band lower than band A, as that would bring considerable benefit to that category of people?

Mr. Baldry

It comes ill from the mouth of a representative of the Labour party, which was opposed to any discount whatever for single people, to pretend that that party is the friend of those living on their own.