Community Charge (Hansard, 28 February 1990)

§ 27. Mr. Nicholas Bennett
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the likely level of average community charge payments in Scotland in 1990–91.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
Scottish local authorities were required to fix their community charges for 1990–91 by 29 January. The average charge (inclusive of the water charge) is £328, which represents an increase of 9.2 per cent. on the comparable figure for the current year.

§ 28. Mr. Stern
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the overall community charge due in the current year throughout Scotland has now been collected; and what percentage of domestic rates was collected in each of the last five years at the same time.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The information requested is not held centrally but it would appear that the general flow of income from community charge payments is broadly the same as under the domestic rating system last year.
251W

§ 46. Mr. Ron Brown
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have yet to pay the poll tax in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
While no overall figure is available centrally it would appear that the proportion of people in arrears with their community charge payments is broadly the same as under the rating system last year.

§ Mrs. Fyfe
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the cost to local authorities of the administration and collection of the poll tax in 1989–90; and what was the cost to local authorities of the administration and collection of domestic rates in 1988–89.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The overall cost of administering the community charge system in 1989–90, as estimated by local authorities, is £43.5 million. Community charge collection costs, exclusive of registration work and the operation of the rebate scheme, are estimated to account for £23.3 million of that total.
The overall cost to authorities of administering the rating system in 1988.89 was £31 million, of which £17.3 million was in respect of rates collection. Separate figures are not available centrally for domestic and non-domestic rates.

§ 39. Mr. Tom Clarke
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individual pieces of communication have been sent in total by regional and island councils in Scotland to poll tax payers in Scotland since the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 came into operation.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
Responsibility for the administration of the community charge is a matter for levying authorities. The number of communications sent to individuals will vary according to the circumstances of particular cases. However the main statutory communications issued by community charge registration officers and directors of finance are:
1. Inquiry form for completion by responsible person under section 17(5) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended by the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

2. Notification of entry in community charges register under section 14(2) of the 1987 Act, as amended by the 1988 Act.

3. Notification of any amendment to or deletion from the community charges register under section 14(5) of the 1987 Act as amended by the 1988 Act.

4. Demand notice in respect of a person's liability for the community charge, under Schedule 2(2) to the 1987 Act.

5. Notices in respect of unpaid community charges, under Schedule 2(4) and 2(7) to the 1987 Act.
Supplementary notices or forms may be issued if the circumstances require this. Additional communications will be sent in the case of people who have applied for community charge rebate.