The Community Charge (Hansard, 27 November 1990)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Baroness Blatch)
My Lords, Her Majesty's Government carried out a review of the community charge earlier this year and my right honourable friend the Secretary of State announced a number of improvements, some of which are still not in place. We remain receptive to further improvements. In fact, refinements in arrangements are normal for any new major policy.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, the review does not seem to have been very well received by all members of the Conservative Party or of the Government. Bearing in mind the revelation by Mr. Lawson that he had reported his view that the poll tax was both unworkable and electorally disastrous, will the noble Baroness say what alterations are likely to be made by the candidates for Prime Minister? Will she also say whether we are now to be faced with the ultimate paradox that having got rid of the thatcher the Government might now introduce a roof tax?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, the changes which I believe will be well received are help for people who run a shop and live over the shop and for people living in tied accommodation for whom the multiplier is to be reduced to half; steps to remove anomalies in cases where people have difficulty selling their homes; and improved transitional relief for a number of people 901 and the reduction of the period from five to three years. I do not intend to indulge in speculation about further improvements.

§ Lord Tordoff
My Lords, the Minister referred to a major new policy. Does that have any political connotations regarding what is happening today?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, it may well have been prophetic.

§ Lord Monson
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that to limit tax relief on mortgage interest to the standard rate—something which should have happened a long time ago—would make available almost £1 billion for additional poll tax rebates to those whose earnings are below the national average?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, the Question that I am addressing concerns whether there is any intention to review the structure of the community charge. The noble Lord's question is therefore wide of the Question on the Order Paper.

§ Lord Stallard
My Lords, can the noble Baroness tell me what happened to the promise made in an election address by the then candidate for St. Pancras North—now the right honourable Member for Huntingdon—that the Government would replace the rates with a just tax which would be levied on the basis of ability to pay?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, the Government fulfilled that promise in the manifesto.

§ Lord Renton
My Lords, the present right honourable Member for Huntingdon is my successor. May I assure your Lordships that any undertaking that he has given can be relied upon?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend.

§ Lord McIntosh of Haringey
My Lords, does the Minister agree that it would be wise to listen to what people have to say, to consider it and to contemplate what might be done? Does she agree that we have to continue to do our utmost to make the community charge fairer and more acceptable in the eyes of those who have to pay it? Does she agree with the statement, "I have made it quite clear that there will be a fundamental review"? Finally, would she care to go for the jackpot and tell the House which of those statements was made by which of the men in grey suits?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, in the review undertaken this year the Government took into account some of the difficulties of implementing the community charge. I have listed some of them. Perhaps I may add that one community charge payer in four receives help from the Government. A sum of £2 billion is made available for relief of the community charge bills of 9 million people. That addresses the principle of ability to pay.

§ Lord Ross of Newport
My Lords,—

Noble Lords
Order!

§ Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone
My Lords, does my noble friend accept that her refusal to indulge in speculation at this stage is to be heartily applauded not only on this side of the House?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his remarks. It is not my duly to indulge in speculation; I have no intention of doing so.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, without speculating, can the noble Baroness help the House by saying which of the three policies now being discussed by Mr. Heseltine, Mr. Hurd and Mr. Major is favoured by the right honourable lady, the Prime Minister?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, I hope that the House will understand if I refuse to answer that question.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, will the noble Baroness take into consideration the difficulties faced by some severely disabled people who received rate relief before the introduction of the community charge? Will she take note of the information that is available from RADAR—the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation?

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, the number of adjustments made to the community charge this year prove that the Government have been receptive to information fed into the department about difficulties faced by some people in paying their charge. Therefore, if RADAR wishes to continue to supply information to the department I am sure that the department will be receptive to it.