HC Deb 17 July 1989 vol 157 cc12-3W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to ensure that no person pays more than one community charge in respect of second homes which are used by only one person.

Mr. Gummer

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to monitoring the impact of the arrangements for standard community charges on second homes on the effectiveness of the community charge in relating payment to services provided.

Mr. Gummer

The impact of the standard community charge on owners of second homes will vary with the personal circumstances of owners, and with both the levels of community charge determined and the multipliers chosen by local authorities. We shall keep these matters under review in the usual way.

Dr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the liability to poll tax of(a) young people at school, (b) young people in sixth form colleges specified in the Personal Community Charge (Students) Regulations 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ridley

I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the community charge.

My Department discussed the definition of full-time students with representatives of local authorities and educational establishments before preparing these regulations. Young people who remain in full-time secondary education beyond their 18th birthday are exempt from the community charge for as long as their parents are entitled to claim child benefit on their behalf.

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the effects of the ring-fencing of housing revenue accounts on the level of community charge, using the illustrative 1988–89 figures, for each charging authority.

Mr. Gummer

[holding answer 13 July 1989]: As I have previously told the hon. Member, our practice is to publish only figures based on current responsibilities and expenditure patterns. There will be a number of changes in local government responsibilities from April 1990. It would not be appropriate to single out one particular change nor to attempt to predict the effect at the local level of one or more changes while details remain to be settled.