§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the community charge 385W which would have been payable in the current year by district, regional and islands council area were the number of adults registered to pay to be 10 per cent, less than anticipated.
§ Mr. LangNo. The illustrative levels of estimated personal community charge published by my right hon. and learned Friend represent the levels which would be required to replace domestic rate income in 1987–88. My right hon. and learned Friend has no intention of publishing alternative figures which would depend on purely hypothetical assumptions.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the rebates scheme under the new community charge poll tax for those people who are(a) sick, (b) unemployed, (c) elderly or (d) on low incomes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services hopes to publish draft community charge rebate regulations in the spring or early summer of 1988 following consultation with local authorities.
It is intended that the procedures for assessing needs and resources should be aligned as far as is possible with those included in the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987.