§ Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will estimate(a) the number of extra staff and (b) the extra expenditure arising from the changes to the community charge announced in October.
§ Mr. ChopeAn estimate of the administrative costs of the community charge transitional relief scheme will be made in the light of a study being undertaken for the Department by Peat Marwick McLintock and discussions with the local authority associations.
§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many English shire counties are anticipated, in his published calculations, to levy a higher community charge than Avon.
§ Mr. ChopeCounties will not levy community charges. If all English authorities spend the amount needed to provide a standard level of service, the community charge could be the same throughout England. Any spending above this standard level will increase the community charge.
The provisional figures placed in the Library on 6 November suggest that the community charge for standard spending in 1990–91 will be about £278. The assumed spending by Avon county council would add a further £18 to the community charge in each Avon district. On the same basis, six other counties would add a larger sum to the community charge for standard spending than Avon.
§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much he plans to spend promoting community charge benefits and transitional relief; and if he will reimburse local authorities for any expenditure they incur in dealing with correspondence and contacts arising from Government advertising.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe cost of the advertising campaign is commercial in confidence and will remain so until such time as the agency has completed negotiations with the media for advertising space.
The Department has commissioned a study by Peat Marwick McLintock into the administrative costs of the community charge transitional relief scheme. Decisions about the arrangements for meeting these costs will be made in light of the consultants' report and discussions with the local authority associations. I have made clear that authorities' reasonable costs will be reimbursed fully.
§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library(a) his Department's briefing to those advertising agencies invited to tender for the work on his proposed advertising campaign to encourage take-up of community charge 323W benefits and transititional relief, (b) the creative brief prepared by Ogilvie and Mather and (c) the media strategy and the media plan for the campaign showing in particular the timing and positioning of press and television advertisements and indicating the social and income groups of the target audiences.
§ Mr. Chris PattenAgencies were invited to tender for a campaign intended to ensure that those eligible are aware of entitlement to community charge benefit and transitional relief. The campaign will be targeted primarily at the relevant socio-economic groups with an element aimed at those who advise or care for people who may be eligible. The campaign will make use of television, radio and the press. Appropriate bookings in the media are being made.
§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what correspondence his Department has had with(a) the Independent Broadcasting Authority, (b) the Independent Television Authority and (c) the Advertising Standards Authority about his proposed community charge benefit and transitional relief advertising campaign; and if he will place copies of the correspondence in the Library.
§ Mr. Chris PattenMy Department has sought clearance from the Independent Television Authority and the Independent Broadcasting Authority for the proposed television advertisements, as all potential advertisers are required to do. There is no similar requirement in respect of the Advertising Standards Authority.