§ Dr. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of people aged 18 years and over live in domestic hereditaments where the householder receives no assistance with rate bills from supplementary or housing benefits.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe information is not collected directly. However, the White Paper "Rates" (Cmnd. 9008) said that about 35 per cent. of electors were householders paying full rates. The evidence is that there are on average slighlty over two adults in such households. This suggests that between 70 per cent. and 75 per cent. of those over 18 live in households where there is a ratepayer paying full rates. It remains the case, of course, that domestic ratepayers contribute only around one pound in five of local authorities' current spending.
§ Dr. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, further to his reply of 26 January, Official Report, columns 663–64, he will update the table of responses to the White Paper on rates to include all those received by 29 February.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe consultation period on the White Paper "Rates" (Cmnd. 9008) formally closed on 3 October 1983. Responses received up to 30 November were however analysed in detail and taken into account in preparing the proposals now contained in the Rates Bill. Responses received since that date have not been analysed in equivalent detail and it is not, therefore, possible completely to update the table given in my earlier answer.
However, between 30 November 1983 and 29 February 1984 I have received 205 letters in support of and 588 letters opposed to our rate limitation proposals. In addition I have received a large number of standard form communications both in favour of and opposed to the proposals. In the same period I also received some 250 letters dealing with matters contained in part III of the Bill.