§ 37. Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his estimate of the total financial benefit to ratepayers in the City of Manchester from the Rating Act, 1965; and how this compares with the total financial benefit to the ratepayers in the City of Manchester from the Rating (Interim Relief) Act, 1964.
§ Mr. MacCollFor the first half-year, rebates totalling some £86,000 have been granted, of which the Exchequer pays £65,000. In three years the city's claims under the 1964 Act have been £240 for individual relief, together with £154,000 for grants in aid of rates generally, including commerce and industry.
§ 43. Mr. Geoffrey Lloydasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will issue a circular to rating authorities to urge that as a general rule they should exercise their discretion 42W to grant full rebates to those who would be entitled to them if they had applied sooner.
§ Mr. MacCollNo. I think it is already widely known that my right hon. Friend hopes rating authorities will use their discretion generously at least in this first year of the scheme.
§ 54. Mr. McNamaraasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied with the response to the Rate Rebate Scheme in the city and county of Kingston-upon-Hull; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacCollI understand that 7,150 applications for rebates were made in the first half year. It is too early to judge the effect of the present publicity campaign.
§ 56. Mr. Arnold Shawasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, whether he is satisfied with the response to his appeal on rate rebates in the borough of Redbridge; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacCollIf my hon. Friend is thinking of the message which my right hon. Friend sent out to all ratepayers in the fourth week of September, I can tell him that in Redbridge in that week 475 fresh applications for the first rebate period were made, compared with 4,335 up to then. My right hon. Friend is glad that these people were brought to apply, and he intends to go forward with added publicity as seems necessary.
§ Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give the number and value of rate reliefs granted to ratepayers under the provisions of the Rating Act, 1965 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. MacCollThe total number of those who have applied for the first and second rebate periods is not yet known. But for the first half of the financial year the indications are that about a million people in England and Wales will have been granted rebates averaging £7 12s. 6d. each.