§ Dr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of(a) the responses he has had to his request to charging authorities for a progress report on implementing the community charge, (b) when he proposes to publish the responses to his Department's request for a progress report from local authorities on implementing the community charge, (c) whether the Department of Environment has any plans to undertake further surveys of local authorities in connection with implementation of the community charge, and (d) whether any future surveys of local authorities will ask them for information concerning the costs incurred by them in implementing the community charge.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 4 April 1989]: I have today placed in the Library a summary of progress on the implementation of the community charge. It is based on the responses from chief finance officers to the letter sent to them on 21 December 1988.
The survey reveals an encouraging picture overall. All of the 90 per cent. of authorities which have responded to the letter so far have made plans for the implementation of the community charge, and the majority of these appear to be making good progress with their arrangements.
I intend to issue a detailed questionnaire to all charging authorities later this month. The main purpose will be to obtain details of the implementation programme for each authority. I do not intend that this questionnaire should seek information about the cost of implementation.