HC Deb 20 February 1991 vol 186 cc168-9W
Mr. William Powell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of community chargepayers in each district of Northants who will benefit from the community charge reduction scheme.

Mr. Key

Community charge registers for individual local authorities are not held centrally and I am not, therefore, at present able to make detailed estimates by local authority area. Estimates for England of the numbers likely to benefit from the community charge reduction scheme are based on sample survey data.

The table shows, for each district in Northamptonshire, the level of rateable value below which a community charge reduction may be available for a two adult household; and shows this rateable value as a percentage of the average rateable value of domestic properties in each district. Reductions will depend on the number of chargepayers resident in a property on 31 March 1990, and will be payable to chargepayers who have not changed their sole or main residence since that date.

Level of rateable value below which two adult households benefit from community charge reduction scheme
Rateable value Percentage of district average
(£)
Corby 240 130.7
Daventry 221 97.4
East Northamptonshire 211 117.5
Kettering 219 122.5
Northampton 221 108.7
South Northamptonshire 227 99.4
Wellingborough 193 105.0

Mr. Burt

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much assistance a couple living in a property of half average rateable value in Bury will receive under the community charge reduction scheme in 1992.

Mr. Portillo

In 1991–92 a couple living in a property with half the average rateable value in Bury will be entitled to a reduction under the community charge reduction scheme of £373. If the 1991–92 community charge set by Bury is less than £380, the reduction will be smaller. Community charge benefit will further reduce the community charge for couples with low incomes.

Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much assistance a couple living in a property of half average rateable value in (a) Lancaster and (b) Wyre borough will receive under the community charge reduction scheme next year.

Mr. Portillo

In 1991–92 a couple living in a property with half the average rateable value in the area will be entitled to a reduction under the community charge reduction scheme of(a) £497 in Lancaster, and (b) £420 in Wyre, provided they have not moved since 31 March 1990, and assuming that the community charges set are not less than £402 in Lancaster and £376 in Wyre. Community charge benefit will reduce further the community charge for couples with low incomes.