HC Deb 20 December 1989 vol 164 cc318-9W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will assess the number of households in Wales which, on the basis of his assessment of levels of community charge as outlined in his statement of 18 December, will incur(a) an increase of over 50 per cent., (b) an increase of between 25 per cent. and 50 per cent. and (c) an increase of up to 25 per cent. in the total community charge to be paid by each such household in 1990.91 as against the total rate payment of such a household in 1989.90.

Mr. Peter Walker

This information is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Gwilym Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made, in each local authority in Wales, in compiling the community charge register for 1990.91; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Walker

I have now received estimates of the registered population as at 1 December 1989 from each community charge registration officer in Wales. A very high rate of registration has been achieved. The following table shows that estimates of adult population based on the registers are very close for all authorities to the equivalent estimates based on data provided by the registrar general.

Authority Registrar General's estimate 30 June 1988 Based on Community Charge Register 1 December 1989 Percentage difference
Dinefwr 30.4 30.0 -1
Llanelli 58.1 58.6 1
Preseli Pembrokeshire 54.0 53.0 -2
South Pembrokeshire 32.1 31.8 -1
Blaenau Gwent 59.5 59.7 0
Islwyn 50.9 50.3 -1
Monmouth 62.7 59.9 -5
Newport 97.2 103.4 6
Torfaen 70.2 70.5 0
Aberconwy 42.9 42.2 -2
Arfon 41.9 44.3 6
Dwyfor 21.4 21.3 -1
Meirionnydd 25.0 26.0 4
Ynys Môn 53.4 50.8 -5
Cynon Valley 49.3 50.2 2
Merthyr Tydfil 44.3 44.7 1
Ogwr 105.1 107.3 2
Rhondda 58.6 60.3 3
Rhymney Valley 77.7 78.0 0
Taff Ely 71.5 73.8 3
Brecknock 32.1 32.4 1
Montgomeryshire 39.8 41.0 3
Radnorshire 17.7 17.8 1
Cardiff 215.9 223.9 4
Vale of Glamorgan 90.9 85.2 -6
Port Talbot 38.0 40.0 5
Lliw Valley 47.9 47.5 -1
Neath 50.2 50.7 1
Swansea 144.1 141.9 -2
TOTAL WALES 2,191.1 2,215.2 1

Note: The difference in time between the two estimates should be borne in mind. Over the period the adult population in Wales as a whole is projected to have grown at about 1 per cent. per annum.