§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the community charge that would have to be paid by each adult aged over 18 years in each district council area in the year 1985–86, assuming that the same revenue was to be raised as was produced by the district rate, regional rate and water rate paid by the domestic ratepayer in each of these areas in that year, and that gross rates are paid by all householders and taking rebates under the housing benefit scheme into account, and assuming that domestic householders (a) will or (b) will not continue to benefit from protection equivalent to the domestic element of 8p in the pound.
§ Mr. RifkindThe approximate hypothetical community charge per adult which it would have been necessary to levy in Scotland in 1985–86 to raise the same amount as total rates, including water rates, from domestic properties is set out in the table. This assumes that gross rates are paid by all householders. Figures taking rebates under the housing benefit scheme into account are not available centrally. The figures allow for domestic rate relief of 8p. It is not possible to produce figures assuming no domestic rate relief without making assumptions about how the unused domestic element would be distributed through the grant system. It is the Government's intention that the balance between domestic and non domestic sectors should not be altered by the introduction of the new system.
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£ Berwick 156 Ettrick 157 Roxburgh 161 Tweeddale 153
£ Average for Borders 158 East Lothian 223 Edinburgh 229 Midlothian 228 West Lothian 213 Average for Lothian 225 Clackmannan 174 Falkirk 182 Stirling 204 Average for Central 187 Annandale 155 Nithsdale 157 Stewartry 156 Wigtown 149 Average for Dumfries and Galloway 155 Dunfermline 203 Kirkcaldy 216 North East Fife 211 Average for Fife 210 Aberdeen 174 Banff and Buchan 144 Gordon 144 Kincardine 142 Moray 141 Average for Grampian 157 Badenoch 162 Caithness 145 Inverness 157 Lochaber 161 Nairn 167 Ross and Cromarty 146 Skye and Lochalsh 150 Sutherland 148 Average for Highland 153 Argyll and Bute 208 Bearsden 223 Clydebank 226 Clydesdale 198 Cumbernauld 204 Cumnock 204 Cunninghame 221 Dumbarton 235 East Kilbride 201 Eastwood 221 Glasgow 245 Hamilton 234 Inverclyde 218 Kilmarnock 221 Kyle and Carrick 223 Monklands 215 Motherwell 217 Renfrew 237 Strathkelvin 219 Average for Strathclyde 229 Angus 175 Dundee 212 Perth and Kinross 182 Average for Tayside 194 Orkney 93 Shetland 97 Western Isles 103 Average for Scotland 207
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates would be the current cost of compiling a register for community charges purposes in Scotland as a whole and in each regional and island authority.
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§ Mr. RifkindNo precise estimate of the likely cost of compiling the proposed registers has been made. Extra costs are likely to arise from preparing, checking and maintaining the register and from the enforcement procedures, but these may be offset to some extent by savings resulting from the reduction in workload for assessors, and in appeals, on domestic valuation matters. I shall shortly be consulting the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other interested parties on operational issues arising from the proposed introduction of a community charge system. This consultation will cover, among other subjects, the financial implications of the proposed changes.
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has of the number of electors in Scotland who have moved from their registration address by the end of the year during which the electoral register is valid; and if he will undertake a study of such movements using a variety of different electoral areas to assess the feasibility of maintaining an accurate annual community charges register.
§ Mr. RifkindPrecise figures in the form requested are not available. I believe, however, that from the qualifying date when the register is compiled (10 October) until the register expires 16 months later (15 February) between 10 and 15 per cent. of electors in Scotland as a whole may move from their registration address.
I shall shortly be consulting local authorities and other interested parties on the operational issues involved in maintaining the register.
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can further define, and give examples of, the categories of properties in Scotland where the owner is likely to be liable for the payment of a collective community charge, as described in paragraph G33 of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" Cmnd. 9714.
§ Mr. RifkindI intend that these arrangements should apply to a number of types of communal establishments, including hostels and lodging houses. I shall shortly be consulting the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other interested organisations on operational issues in connection with the proposed introduction of a community charge system; this consultation will cover the ways in which communal establishments generally will be treated under the new system.
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he has made of the impact of the introduction of a community charge in Scotland on the civil courts; and what change in the number of debt actions to recover arrears he anticipates when the community charge is fully operational.
§ Mr. RifkindI intend that, as with rates arrears, summary warrant procedure should be used to recover arrears of community charge payment. The impact of the new system on the civil courts is therefore likely to be small. I shall shortly be consulting interested bodies on the detailed operational issues, including questions of the enforcement of payment, arising from the introduction of the proposed community charge system.