§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) pensioners and (b) non-pensioner households spend more than 10 per cent. of their total expenditure on council tax. [125925]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 14 June 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 10 July 2000:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking about spending on council tax. (125925)The Family Expenditure Survey shows an estimated 230,000 pensioner households and 500,000 non-pensioner households in Great Britain spent more than 10 per cent. of their total expenditure on council tax in 1998–99, after deducting any discounts or benefits. Total expenditure is all spending on goods and services including mortgage interest, but excluding saving and investment, life assurance and medical insurance payments, and purchase or alteration of dwellings.Like all estimates from sample surveys, these figures are subject to sampling variability.