Community Charge (Hansard, 25 April 1989)

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the effects of the introduction of the community charge on the tenants of almshouses; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Gummer
We considered the position of people in various types of accommodation when deciding on the definition of hostels, the residents of which will be exempt from the community charge. Our conclusion was that, in general, only establishments offering a high level of care should qualify. The tenants of almshouses will be able to apply for rebates of up to 80 per cent, if their incomes are low. Those in receipt of income support will have their income support increased to help them meet their 20 per cent. community charge payment.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from hon. Members on the levying of a community charge on second homes.

§ Mr. Gummer
We have received a good many representations on this and other aspects of the community charge.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he intends to publish guidelines for private landlords on the need to deduct rates from combined rent and rates charges with the introduction of the community charge in April 1990;
(2) what protection will be offered to tenants in the private rented sector, who presently pay combined rent and rates charges, with the introduction of the community charge in April 1990.

§ Mr. Gummer
[holding answer 24 April 1989.1: I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 21 April.

§ Mr. Buckley
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce a transitional period for households with substantial increases in payments following the introduction of the poll tax in April 1990.

§ Mr. Gummer
[holding answer 24 April 1989]: The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax.
The Government have proposed a safety net which will provide transitional protection for areas in which there would otherwise be substantial increases in average bills per household. The community charge rebate system will give further protection to chargepayers with low incomes.

§ Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each local authority in530W England (a) the illustrative community charge for 1989–90 (i) within and (ii) without safety net, (b) the comparable figures for 1988–89, (c) the percentage changes between the two years, (d) the average rate bill per household for 1989–90 and (e) the average number of adults per household.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in which month he expects to announce illustrative 1989–89 community charges for Nottingham based upon the forthcoming year's rate support grant settlement.

§ Mr. Gummer
As in previous years, I intend publishing illustrative community charges for all local authority areas in England when detailed budget returns have been received. The date of publication will depend on prompt submission of those budget returns. So far 343 out of the 426 returns have been submitted.

§ Mrs. Margaret Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the regulations which give poll tax registration officers access to local education authority lists containing the names and addresses of school pupils' parents; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Gummer
The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. The regulations governing the administration of the community charge in England and Wales are the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989/438). Regulation 6 requires certain public bodies on request to provide the community charges registration officer (CCRO) with names, addresses and periods of residence where such information is within the possession or control of those bodies. The local education authority is among the bodies concerned, but the governors or proprietors of schools (who maintain registers containing the names and addresses of parents) are not. Whether such names and addresses can be given to the CCRO will therefore depend upon whether they have been passed into the possession or control of the authority. The authority may not inspect or take an extract from a school register other than for educational purposes.