§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will establish a committee of inquiry to determine how many ratepayers are entitled under present regulations to claim rate rebates.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe number of ratepayers entitled to rate rebates cannot be established precisely without extensive and detailed inquiries into the circumstances of individual households. I do not consider that a widespread inquiry of such a nature would be acceptable or practicable. I hope, however, that the special publicity drive which we are undertaking in the Department in association with the London Borough of Islington will produce information about the number of people who are not claiming which might enable some conclusions to be drawn about other areas.
§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will establish a committee of inquiry to determine how many ratepayers are now claiming rate rebates under the present regulations.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe number of householders successfully claiming rate rebates is currently about 800,000; the figure is published annually in the H.M.S.O. publication "Rate Rebates in England and Wales". Copies are available in the Library.