HC Deb 07 July 1992 vol 211 cc160-1W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his latest estimates for each local authority and for England of(a) the percentage of total budgeted poll tax income collected so far for 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93, (b) the total amounts outstanding in pound sterling million and (c) the numbers of liability orders taken out for poll tax debt.

Mr. Redwood

I estimate that by 31 March 1992 charging authorities in England had collected 97 per cent. and 89 per cent. of their budgeted community charge income for 1990–91 and 1991–92 respectively. Figures for 1992–93 are not yet available.

I am arranging for a listing of the percentage of 1990–91 budgeted community charge income collected by each authority in the period 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1992 to be placed in the Library of the House.

With respect to the percentage of 1991–92 budgeted community charge income collected, I refer the hon. member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire), on 17 June 1992 to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond), at column 565.

My Department does not collect figures for amounts of community charges outstanding or for the numbers of liability orders granted. Figures for the amount of community charge arrears at 31 March 1991, and for liability orders granted in 1990–91, were published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in "Revenue Collection Statistics 1990–91 Actuals", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.