§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the charge and the proportion of rates paid by industrial and domestic ratepayers with the introduction of new rating valuation for (a) England, (b) West Midlands, (c) North Staffordshire, and (d) Stoke-on-Trent.
§ Mr. Graham PageOn the basis of preliminary estimates the changes in the proportion of rates paid by domestic ratepayers, and by non-domestic ratepayers as a whole, in (a) England, (b) 273W the West Midlands and (c) Stoke-on-Trent are as follows:
Domestic Per cent. Non Domestic Per cent England + 2 -2 West Midlands + 17 -10 Stoke on Trent + 19 -12 Information on a similar basis for North Staffordshire is not readily available.
§ Mrs. Doris Fisherasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give consideration to increasing the scales of statutory deductions from gross values, in view of their effect on the rateable values resulting in an added burden on smaller properties.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Northants, South (Mr. Arthur Jones) on 12th February. The Government announced last week that they will be giving some additional help to domestic ratepayers facing large increases in their rates in so far as these are attributable solely to revaluation.—[Vol. 850, c.249–50.]
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what approximate increases would be needed in the rates of income tax and VAT to produce, in equal proportions, an amount equivalent to the revenue from domestic rates.
§ Mr. NottI have been asked to reply.
To raise an amount equivalent to the yield of domestic rates, in equal proportions from income tax and VAT, would require an increase of 3.5p in the £ in the standard rate of income tax, and an increase from 10 per cent. to rather more than 13 per cent. in the VAT rate.