HC Deb 21 May 1990 vol 173 cc22-3W
Mr. Harry Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the total standard spending assessment for England for 1990–91 was designated to be raised from(a) business rate income, (b) community charge income at standard spending and (c) the revenue support grant; and what are the estimates for England for 1990–91 of actual sums raised from (i) business rate income, (ii) community charge income and (iii) the revenue support grant.

Mr. Chope

The information requested is as follows:(a) 35 per cent.; (b) 33 per cent.; (c) 32 per cent.; and (i) £10.4 billion; (ii) £12.7 billion; (iii) £9.4 billion.

Local authority revenue expenditure is also funded by means of special grants and the use of balances or reserves.

Mr. Butler

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what percentage net current spending by local authorities has risen in real terms since(a) 1978–79 and (b) 1984–85.

Mr. Chope

Local authority net current spending in England has increased in real terms by 20 per cent. and 10 per cent. between 1978–79–1989–90 and 1984–85–1989–90 respectively.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will add to the list of exemptions from poll tax women who have been made homeless because of domestic violence.

Mr. Chope

A person is subject to the personal community charge in respect of his or her sole or main residence. A period of residence within a women's refuge does not confer exemption from the community charge unless it is a night shelter or hostel. In general, women will not be registered at refuges for the community charge unless, exceptionally, they are solely or mainly resident there. In almost all cases women stay in refuges for short periods, during which they will be registered for the personal community charge at their previous address.

Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of the local authority associations to discuss changes to the poll tax; and if he will list other organisations he proposes to consult on the subject.

Mr. Chope

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has not met with representatives of the local authority associations specifically to discuss changes to the community charge. He has no plans to change the principle of the charge. He did have a wide-ranging discussion when he met the leaders of the Association of County Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Association of District Councils on 27 March.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the cost of collection under the old rates system in England for 1990–91; and what is the estimated cost of collecting poll tax for the year 1991–92.

Mr. Chope

The estimated cost of collecting rates in 1989–90 was £200 million. Our estimate of the total cost of collecting and administering the community charge in 1990–91 is £400 million. No estimate has yet been made of the costs of collecting the community charge in 1991–92, but they will be taken into account in the revenue support grant settlement.

Mr. David Martin

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost in a full year of excluding non-earning spouses from liability to the community charge.

Mr. Chope

It is estimated that there are about 5 million spouses of taxpayers who do not themselves pay income tax. Assuming an average personal community charge of £363 the revenue lost from exempting them would be about £1.8 billion.

Mr. Rooker

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that residents of sheltered housing cannot be required to fund the community charge of a warden's spouse who plays no part in the management of the development.

Mr. Chope

The spouse of the warden of a sheltered housing scheme is liable for his or her own community charge and receives a separate bill. The charges to residents of such schemes are a contractual matter for agreement between residents and operators.

Mr. Ralph Howell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were(a) the numbers of ratepayers and the average payment for each ratepayer in 1989–90 and (b) the numbers of community charge payers and the average payment for each community charge payer in 1990–91.

Mr. Chope

In 1989–90 there were 18 million domestic ratepayers paying an average of £516. In 1990–91 there are 36 million charge payers and the average charge bill in England at 1 April is £363.

Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a list in theOfficial Report of the amount of the poll tax adjustment in respect of forecast non-payment for each of the authorities in the northern region; and whether he will give the average national figure for such adjustments.

Mr. Chope

This information is not available.

Mr. Bowis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average level of community charge in London in boroughs that were(a) Conservative controlled and (b) Labour controlled before 3 May.

Mr. Chope

The level for Conservative controlled is £285 and for Labour controlled £445. The figures are based on charges at 1 April 1990.