§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the average rate rises in England for 1985–86 compared with 1984–85 for (a) owners of domestic properties and (b) council house tenants and other houses in the public sector, local authority by local authority.
§ Mr. WaldegravePercentage increases in domestic rate poundages and domestic rate bills (gross of rate rebates) in 1985–86 are the same in each locality for both owners of domestic properties and council house tenants and other houses in the public sector. I have already placed the available information on these increases in the Library.
Estimates of average cash increases in rate bills for owners of domestic properties are not available centrally. Estimates for council house tenants, authority by authority, are not readily available, and cannot be produced except at disproportionate cost.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average level of rates in 1985–86 for (a) owner-occupied properties and (b) houses in the public sector.
§ Mr. WaldegraveBased on information available so far, the estimate of the average level of domestic rate bills in England in 1985–86 is about £350 per hereditament.
No separate estimate is available for owner-occupied properties. An estimate for council house tenants is not readily available and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.