HC Deb 12 December 1988 vol 143 cc401-2W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's proposed timetable for publishing further material relating to the community charge, giving the manner and type of publication and the amounts budgeted both in total and by individual category; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

I am completing consideration of these arrangements and shall be making an announcement shortly.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the amounts to be allowed to each local authority in(a) England and (b) Wales to meet the setting up costs of the community charge, indicating in each case the division between specific and block grant, and where available the local authorities' estimates of the costs involved.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

In England capital allocations totalling £25 million in respect of expenditure in 1988–39 were announced on 13 April. A list of individual authorities' allocations was placed in the Library on that date. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 21 October that a further allocation of £135 million would be made for 1989–90. Individual allocations from this total will shortly be made.

My right hon. Friend also announced on 21 October that half the provision of £110 million included in the 1989–90 rate support grant settlement for the current costs of preparing for the community charge will be met through a specific grant. A list showing individual authorities' share of this £55 million specific grant was placed in the Library on that date. The remaining half of the expenditure will be supported by rate support grant in the normal way.

We do not have comprehensive figures for local authorities' own estimates of these costs. The capital allocation of £135 million for 1989–90 was derived from the mid point of the range forecast for England in the Price Waterhouse report published in June this year. The provision of £110 million for current costs is also in line with the estimate made in that respect and is higher than the equivalent figure then postulated by local authority associations.

The information requested in respect of Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

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