HC Deb 16 April 2002 vol 383 cc793-5W
Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to relieve people of paying council tax when in hospital; and if he will make a statement. [50492]

Net business rate yield for 2002–021 (£ million) Net business rate yield for 2002–031 (£ million) Change in net business rate yield between 2001–02 and 2002–032(£ million) Change in net business rate yield between 2001–02 and 2002–03 (Percentage)
Inner London
City of London 471.7 531.3 59.6 12.6
Camden 190.2 211.0 20.8 10.9
Greenwich 47.5 44.9 -2.6 -5.4
Hackney 46.5 47.0 0.5 1.1
Hammersmith and Fulham 84.5 96.8 12.4 14.6
Islington 99.1 107.5 8.3 8.4
Kensington and Chelsea 130.6 140.4 9.7 7.4
Lambeth 64,0 67.9 3.9 6.1
Lewisham 37.6 36.3 -1.2 -3.3
Southwark 90.4 90.1 -0.2 -0.3
Tower Hamlets 119.1 138.1 19.0 15.9
Wandsworth 61.1 62.2 1.1 1.8
Westminster 788.1 875.0 86.9 11.0
Total for Inner London 2,230.3 2,448.6 218.2 9.8
Outer London
Barking and Dagenham 43.5 41.7 -1.8 -4.0
Barnet 73.2 74.3 1.1 1.5
Bexley 46.1 47.9 1.8 3.8
Brent 66.9 67.2 0.4 0.6
Bromley 65.7 65.9 0.2 0.3
Croydon 86.2 89.7 3.4 4.0
Ealing 85.8 89.7 4.0 4.6
Enfield 65.3 65.6 0.2 0.4
Haringey 42.8 43.7 0.9 2.2
Harrow 44.2 43.7 -0.5 -1.2
Havering 47.3 47.7 0.4 0.9
Hillingdon 231.8 246.0 14.2 6.1
Hounslow 102.4 108.2 5.8 5.7
Kingston-upon-Thames 54.4 56.8 2.4 4.4
Merton 49.4 50.2 0.8 1.7
Newham 53.0 54.4 1.4 2.6
Redbridge 39.9 39.1 -0.8 -2.0
Richmond-upon-Thames 48.6 50.5 1.9 4.0
Sutton 37.8 37.0 -0.8 -2.0
Waltham Forest 37.8 36.2 -1.6 -4.2
Total for Outer London 1,322.0 1,355.5 33.5 2.5
1Net of transitional, mandatory and discretionary rate reliefs.
2The business rate multiplier increased from 43.0p in 2001–02 to 43.7p in 2002–03. This increase was in line with changes in Retail Price Index, as required by legislation.

Dr. Whitehead

A person is required to pay council tax on their sole or main residence. When a person enters hospital for treatment on a short term basis, their sole or main residence remains the property where they resided prior to entering hospital. Where a person enters hospital on a long-term basis and there is no intention of their returning to their original residence, the hospital becomes in effect their main residence and their home is exempt from the council tax. We have no plans to change this.

Harry Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what has been the change this year in the level of business rates in each London borough. [48869]

Dr. Whitehead

The table shows the amount of business rates that each London borough (and the City) estimates that it will collect in 2002–03 compared with estimates made at the corresponding time last year for 2001–02.

Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list for each of the last five years the SSA settlements for all local authorities and the percentage change from the previous year, showing those authorities with the highest percentage increase year on year and those with the lowest increases. [49739]

Dr. Whitehead

Tables showing the SSA settlements for all local authorities, together with the percentage changes against the SSA figures for the previous year, adjusted for changes in the functions and funding of authorities, where appropriate, for 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.