§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's policy concerning provision of information about service personnel whose home addresses are in Scotland, but who are serving elsewhere, to poll tax registration officers in Scotland.
§ Mr. NeubertIt is not my Department's policy to provide information to community charge registration officers (CCROs) in Scotland other than the names and addresses of personnel serving in the areas for which the CCRO is responsible.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision has been made to compensate service personnel who are affected by the imposition of the poll tax in Scotland for the fact that they have to meet this cost while their colleagues from other parts of the United Kingdom do not.
§ Mr. NeubertService personnel in Scotland who pay service accommodation charges are no longer required to pay the rates element of such charges, and can offset this amount against their community charge liability. Personnel serving in Scotland who are currently not paying these charges could be in a worse financial position in the interim year to 31 March 1990, than they would be when the community charge applies in England and Wales. In such circumstances I am prepared to consider, exceptionally, claims for some financial compensation.
§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide advice to service personnel and to Scottish poll tax registration officers concerning the fact that personnel who are serving outwith Scotland, notwithstanding the fact that their home address is in Scotland, are not liable to register for the poll tax in Scotland.
§ Mr. NeubertComprehensive guidance about the liability of service personnel for the community charge has been agreed with community charge registration officers and issued to service personnel. It is based on the general assumption that the sole or main residence of service personnel is where they live in respect of their work, although individuals may seek alternative treatment if their circumstances justify it.
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§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security implications of the publication of poll tax registers which show the Northern Ireland addresses of personnel who are serving in Northern Ireland, but who may be liable to pay the poll tax in respect of home addresses in Scotland.
§ Mr. NeubertIn such circumstances, community charge registers will include only the address in Scotland in respect of which community charge liability arises, and not the temporary address in Northern Ireland. All entries for service personnel will be in the same style as those for civilians and will not include their rank.