§ Lord HARRIS of HIGH CROSSasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of the total local government electorate pay full rates, partial rates and zero rates; and what is the division of rate payments between: (a) households, and (b) industry and commerce.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Lord Bellwin)The information, as far as it is available, is set out below. It is not possible to distinguish between those on full and those on partial rate relief in A(iv) below. All figures are for England and Wales for 1979–80;
A. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) Electorate at May 1979 36.7m Households at May 1979 17.8m Ratepayers on Full Rates 13.0m (%of(i)=35 %of(ii)=73) Households in receipt of rate rebates or Supplementary Benefit assistance with rates 4.8m (%of(i)=13 %of(ii)=27)
B. RATE DISTRIBUTION Domestic Non-Domestic Total £ % £ % £ 2.5bn 42 3.5bn 58 6.0bn