HC Deb 29 January 1990 vol 166 cc64-6W
Mr. Hannam

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the figures for Exeter city council and Devon county council authorities(a) expenditure, (b) Government grant support, (c) percentage increase on previous years and (d) inflation percentage for the following years: 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 together with the target figures for 1990–91.

Mr. Chope

The figures requested are as follows:

rate contribution to the uniform business rate in 1990–91 and (c) the allocation of uniform business rate to Exeter city council in 1990–91.

Mr. Chope

The available information is as follows:

Non-domestic rate yield in Exeter net of rebates:
£ million
1987–88 16.1
1988–89 19.3
1989–90 21.1
Allocation of uniform business rate:
1990–91 21.5

The business rate contribution to the uniform business rate in 1990–91 is not yet known.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will show in theOfficial Report the numbers and grades of his staff engaged on GRE or SSA development in (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) planned for 1990.

Mr. David Hunt

[holding answer 25 January 1990]The number of staff in my Department engaged on GRE or SSA development and calculation are shown in the table for 1988 and 1989. Future figures are not yet known.

The figures include professional economists and statisticians plus support staff who have been engaged on GRE or SSA development and calculation in the period. Not all of these staff have been engaged wholly on GRE or SSA development.

1988 1989
Grade 5 1 1
Grade 6 1 3
Grade 7 3 3
SEO 1 1
HEO and professional equivalent 1 1
EO and professional equivalent 2 2
AO 1 1

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether people living in communities run by(a) the Moonies, (b) Hare Krishna, (c) the Children of God, (d) the Scientologists and (e) other religious cults will be exempt from the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt

Individuals who are members of religious communities, the principal occupation of which is prayer, contemplation, the relief of suffering or education; who have no income or capital of their own; and who are dependent upon the community concerned for their material needs, are exempt from the community charge. It is for community charges registration officers to decide in each case whether a person falls within the terms of the exemption.

Mr. Marlow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what relief from the community charge will be available to those who currently receive relief on their rates because they are disabled; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chope

Disabled persons' rate relief ensures that disabled people do not have to pay higher rate bills where an adaptation of their home made necessary by their disability would raise its rateable value. There is no question of a disabled person having to pay more community charge because of his disability, so equivalent provision is not necessary. Rebates of up to 80 per cent. of the community charge are available to people, including disabled people, with little or no income who qualify for community charge benefit. Income support, for those receiving it, contains an amount to help pay the remaining 20 per cent. Disabled people may qualify for rebates at higher levels of income than other claimants because of the disability premium.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) by what percentage the rate imposed by Chelmsford borough council increased in each year from 1979 to date;

(2) by what percentage the rate imposed by Essex county council increased in each year from 1979 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chope

The percentage changes over the previous years are as follows:

Chelmsford borough council borough rate per cent. Essex county council precept per cent.
1979–80 -36.8 +25.3
1980–81 +4.4 +18.7
1981–82 +59.6 +10.8
1982–83 -39.2 +14.9
1983–84 +9.6 +4.7
1984–85 +38.8 +7.0
1985–86 + 26.1 +7.4
1986–87 +7.1 +18.8
1987–88 -13.3 +10.8
1988–89 +38.5 +17.8
1989–90 + 19.4 +5.1

Borough rate is the rate charged by the borough; precept is the rate levied by the county council.

Mr. Madel

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether university students sponsored by firms are eligible for the full community charge rebate; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chope

The eligibility criteria defining full-time courses for the purposes of student relief make no reference to the source of a student's funds. Every person whose course fulfils these criteria will be liable to pay only 20 per cent. of the personal community charge.

Mr. Marlow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the maximum level of community charge for Northampton at which no couple will be required to pay £3 per week extra as protected by the transitional relief; and how this divides between Northampton and Northamptonshire.

Mr. Chope

For the purposes of the transitional relief scheme, the assumed community charge for the area of Northampton borough council will be £294.13. The way in which this figure is derived does not permit a meaningful apportionment to be made between district and county; but the community charge bills which people receive will show separately how much of the actual community charge is due to county and district spending, and will show, for comparison, the cost of providing a standard level of service.