HC Deb 07 February 1969 vol 777 cc194-5W
Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the average benefit per head to ratepayers in Salford in each of the last four years under the provisions of the Rating (Interim Relief) Act, 1964.

Mr. Skeffington

Grant paid by the Government to the Salford County Borough Council under Section 1 of the Act (which provides for grants to rating authorities of areas with a relatively high proportion of old people) amounted to £10,325 in 1964–65, £13,070 in 1965–66 and £15,510 in 1966–67. This benefited all ratepayers by reducing the rate poundage below what it would otherwise have been by about ½d., ⅔d. and ¾d., respectively. The average relief to each ratepayer was 3s. 6d., 4s. 6d. and 5s. 6d. No grant was payable in 1967–68.

Relief granted by the authority under section 2 of the Act to individual householders suffering hardship because of rate increases since 1962–63 totalled £716 in 1964–65, £670 in 1965–66, £552 in 1966–67 and £460 in 1967–68, the average relief in each year being about £4 14s. 10d., £4 4s. 4d., £4 1s. 6d. and £4 3s. 6d. respectively.