§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will estimate(a) the number of council tax exempt properties on grounds of occupation by student households in each local authority with council tax setting powers and (b) the sums paid to those local authorities by way of compensation. [17727]
§ Dr. WhiteheadI refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 31 October 2001,Official Report, column 675W. The additional amount of revenue support grant received by authorities to compensate them for properties exempted from the council tax because they consist of student households is equal to the amount of council tax forgone. We estimate therefore that the amount paid is about £90 million for England as a whole.