§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what estimate he can make of the cost to his Department in 1991–92 of payments to local authorities to reduce individual liability for the poll tax under the reduction scheme announced in the Budget; and what will be the net cost after allowing for the clawback on the rebate scheme, community charge reduction scheme and other savings;
(2) what he estimates will be the net benefit to poll tax payers in Scotland in 1991–92 of the reduction scheme announced by the Chancellor in the Budget.
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 15 April 1991]: The general reduction of charges in Scotland will cost about £490 million. After taking into account consequent reductions in the amounts paid by way of community charge benefit and community charge reduction and the enhancements that have been made to the community charge reduction scheme, additional resources of some £380 million will be available.
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many poll tax payers in Scotland in 1991–92 he estimates will have their liability in that year reduced by £28 as a result of the poll tax reduction scheme announced in the Budget.
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are registered in Scotland for poll tax purposes at the latest available date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Lang[holding answer 15 April 1991]: As at 1 July 1990, 3,834,410 people were included in the community charge registers in Scotland. This figure includes full-time students (who are liable only for 20 per cent. of the community charge) but excludes those liable for collective or standard charges.
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the cost to his Department of paying compensation to local authorities for their administrative losses arising from the poll tax reduction scheme announced in the Budget.
§ Mr Lang[holding answer 15 April 1991]: Local authorities will be compensated for the additional administrative costs associated with the issuing of revised community charge bills for 1991–92. We will be consulting the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities about the detailed arrangements.
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland will benefit from the poll tax transitional relief scheme in 1991–92; and how that figure will be varied when the community charges reduction scheme is in operation.
§ Mr. Lang [holding answer 15 April 19911The personal community charge reduction scheme has replaced the personal community charge relief scheme with effect from 1 April 1990. It is expected that about 1 million people will benefit from the reduction scheme in respect of the financial year 1990–91 and about 600,000 in 1991–92, following the reduction of charges under the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991.
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many poll tax payers in Scotland will benefit in 1991–92 to the full extent of £140 under the reduction scheme announced in the Budget.