HC Deb 12 December 1989 vol 163 cc545-6W
Mr. David Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines he is issuing to local authorities regarding seamen who spend much of the year out of the United Kingdom and their requirement to pay the community charge.

Mr. Chope

Guidance on the treatment of Royal Navy personnel was contained in the community charge practice note No. 9 "UK Service Personnel". This was placed in the Library on 10 May 1989. This guidance suggests that married seagoers might be regarded as having their residence with their family except for continuous absences in excess of six months. Single seagoers who have no permanent home address will not be registered for the personal community charge except during periods of shore leave in excess of 61 days, where registration will be deemed to have begun from day 1. The Department issued further guidance which suggested that merchant seagoers might be treated in the same way as their naval counterparts. A copy of this guidance was placed in the Library on 26 October 1989.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list for each charging authority area, attributing grant income received by precepting authorities under the current grant system to each area in proportion to the adult population in that area:(a) the rate support grant payable for 1989–90 uprated to 1990–91 prices, in line with the assumptions used in his statement of 6 November and (b) the estimated amount of revenue support grant which would be payable in 1990–91 without safety nets or special grants, showing aggregates for each figure for each class of charging authority, for each region, showing inner London, outer London and the rest of the south-east separately, and for each county and metropolitan area;

(2) if he will list for each charging authority area, attributing grant income received by precepting authorities under the current grant system to each area in proportion to the aggregate of rateable values in that area: (a) the rate support grant payable for 1989–90 uprated to 1990–91 prices, in line with the assumptions used in his statement of 6 November and (b) the estimated amount of revenue support grant which will be payable in 1990–91 with safety nets and special grants, and (c) the estimated amount of revenue support grant which would be payable in 1990–91 without safety nets or special grants, showing aggregates for each figure for each class of charging authority, for each region, showing inner London, outer London and the rest of the south-east separately, and for each county and metropolitan area.

Mr. David Hunt

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: The information requested has been placed in the Library. The figures are consistent with the exemplifications in the consultation paper my right hon. Friend issued on 6 November. Net receipts from the London rate equalisation scheme have been included with rate support grant for 1989–90 which has been scaled to the proposed total for revenue support grant for 1990–91.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list for each charging authority area, attributing business rate income received by precepting authorities under the current system to each area in proportion to the adult population in each area:(a) the estimated revenue received in 1989–90 from the non-domestic rate uprated to 1990–91 prices, in line with the assumptions used in his statement of 6 November, and (b) the estimated amount which will be paid from the national non-domestic rating pool in 1990–91 to each area, showing aggregates for each figure for each class of charging authority, for each region, showing inner London, outer London and the rest of the south-east separately, and for each county and metropolitan area;

(2) if he will list for each charging authority area, attributing business rate income received by precepting authorities under the current system to each area in proportion to the aggregate of rateable values in that area: (a) the estimated revenue received in 1989–90 from the non-domestic rate uprated to 1990–91 prices in line with the assumptions used in his statement of 6 November, and (b) the estimated amount which will be paid from the national non-domestic rating pool in 1990–91 for each area showing aggregates for each figure for each class of charging authority, for each region, showing inner London, outer London and the rest of the south-east separately, and for each county and metropolitan area.

Mr. David Hunt

[holding answer 7 December 1989]: The information requested has been placed in the Library. The figures are consistent with the exemplifications in the consultation paper that my right hon. Friend issued on 6 November. Business rate income is shown for each area: it is not necessary to apportion it from precepting authority level to charging authority level. The total for 1989–90 has been scaled to the non-domestic distributable amount for 1990–91.