HC Deb 04 December 1991 vol 200 cc169-70W
20. Mr. Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the projected costs of the collection of the council tax.

Mr. Portillo

English local authorities budgeted to spend almost £500 million on community charge collection this year. I would expect the council tax to cost no more than half as much to collect.

30. Mr. Salmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the implementation by local authorities of the council tax; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo

Many of the 800 representations we received in response to the consultation paper "A New Tax for Local Government" refer to the implementation of the council tax. My Department is discussing detailed implementation issues with the local authority associations.