§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce legislation to amend the Abolition of Domestic Rates etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, so as to incorporate those features of the Local Government Finance Bill which impose less onerous obligations on poll tax payers in England and Wales than are contained in the legislation already in force in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LangThe Local Government Finance Bill embodies essentially the same system of community charges as is contained in the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987. The 1987 Act was fully debated by Parliament and we have no plans to make any fundamental changes to it. If, however, Parliament decides that refinements should be made to the proposals contained in the Local Government Finance Bill, we shall of course look carefully at what is decided and consider whether any parallel changes need to be made to the 1987 Act.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether poll tax registration officers will be required to omit from the published version of the register the name of any individual who satisfies them that he or she may suffer physical injury if his or her name is listed; and whether in cases where this would result in an address being listed with no corresponding name, the address would also be omitted, thus ensuring that attention is not drawn to properties where people at risk are residers.
§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether or not residents of women's refuges will be exempted from the poll tax.
§ Mr. LangMy right hon. and learned Friend intends that women's refuges should give rise to liability for the collective community charge.
Residents of such premises will be exempt from personal community charge liability but will, under section 11(11) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, be liable to pay a collective community charge contribution to the landlord of the premises at the same daily level as the personal community charge.