§ Mr. David Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households in Scotland do not pay rates; and what percentage of the total this figure represents.
§ Mr. AncramThere are some 4 million adults registered to vote on the electoral rolls in Scotland, and some 2 million domestic properties on the valuation rolls. Some 700,000 householders received assistance with their domestic rate bills in 1984–85 through the housing benefit system. On the basis of these figures, around 50 per cent. of electors, being non-householders, are not liable to pay any rates, and a further 18 per cent, on income grounds, pay either no rates at all or only a part of their rate bills.