HC Deb 18 January 1988 vol 125 cc555-7W
Mr. Nicholas Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has as to the likely effects on average rateable values in each local authority in England if a general revaluation were to take place; and if he will publish in theOfficial Report the estimate for each English local authority, together with current average rateable values.

Mr. Howard

Forecasts of the effects of the non-domestic revaluation in 1990 by local authority area cannot be made until the necessary rental evidence has been collected and analysed by the Inland Revenue valuation office. We have no plans for a domestic revaluation before domestic rates are abolished in 1990. I therefore have made no estimate of the impact of such a revaluation at local level and do not intend to do so.

Mr. Heddle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report a list of all Acts and regulations in which gross, net annual or rateable values are included as the basis for compensation; and if he will make a statement on the alternatives he proposes to introduce to deal with such compensation claims following the introduction of the community charge.

Mr. Howard

The following Acts and regulations have been identified as containing provisions which use gross, net annual or rateable values as the basis for determining compensation payments and which will be affected by the abolition of domestic rates. Proposals for alternative measures for dealing with compensation for those statutes in list A were published on 23 December 1987 in our consultation paper on the use of rateable values in housing and related legislation, copies of which I have placed in the Library. We are considering suitable substitutes for those Acts and regulations shown in list B. Provision is made in the Local Government Finance Bill to amend all these provisions by order.

List A

List B

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has made of the implications for his policy on the poll tax of the study by Professor Colin Hughes of the university of Edinburgh on the increase in house prices under a poll tax, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Howard

Professor Hughes has commented on several occasions on the effect of abolishing domestic rates on house prices. It is not disputed that some increase in house prices is likely. The Government's estimate of the effect is contained in annex E to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd 9714). While there is room for alternative views on this matter, we find Professor Hughes' estimates to be implausibly large. They give us no cause to revise our own estimate which we believe remains broadly correct.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, under the proposed community charge, once a jointly liable couple have been separated, joint debts will be carried over after separation regardless of which was previously the main wage earner.

Mr. Howard

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 12 November 1987 at column189.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's policy towards treating women's aid refuges as the sole or main residence of women residents for the period when they stay at the refuge; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Howard

Most women staying in refuges do so for short periods and will remain mainly resident elsewhere. They will pay the personal community charge in respect of their main residence. Those women who have their sole or main residence in a refuge will pay the personal community charge in respect of their residence in the refuge. Women in both categories will be eligible for rebates of up to 80 per cent. according to their circumstances. Those on low incomes will receive assistance through the income support system towards their 20 per cent. contribution.

I announced, in my answer on 2 December to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) that women living under threat of violence will be able to register for the community charge without making their names and addresses public.

Dr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to place in the Library copies of the papers of the community charge working group, its implementation sub-group, and any joint circulars to local authorities that may be produced by his Department on the implementation of the Local Government Finance Bill.

Mr. Ridley

Any necessary joint circulars to local authorities on the introduction of the community charge, as well as practice notes, prepared by the implementation sub-group will be placed in the Library.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received seeking the exemption of disabled people being cared for in the community and their carers from the payment of the community charge; what response he has made; and will he make a statement.

Mr. Howard

[holding answer 14 January 1988]: We have had a number of representations about the liability of disabled people and volunteer carers for the community charge. We do not consider that an exemption would be justified. They will be eligible for rebates of up to 80 per cent. and income support will be increased to help recipients pay the remaining 20 per cent. In addition, in recognition of their special needs, any income received by disabled people from allowances such as mobility and attendance allowances would be disregarded in calculating entitlement to rebate.