HC Deb 25 October 1989 vol 158 cc464-5W
Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give illustrative figures for the level of community charge(a) under the previously proposed system and (b) following the latest changes, for 1990–91, in pounds per adult for (i) Elmbridge, (ii) Surrey Heath, (iii) Waverley, (iv) Woking, (v) Hertsmere, (vi) North Hertfordshire, (vii) Three Rivers, (viii) Bradford, (ix) Calderdale, (x) Kirklees, (xi) Leeds and (xii) Wakefield, respectively.

Mr. David Hunt

The latest illustrative figures are those published on 19 July. The changes to the safety net and the scheme of transitional relief announced on 11 October will not affect community charges for 1990–91, except those for individuals entitled to the relief.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to introduce regulations which ensure that a carer who resides part-time in his own home and the remainder of the time in the home of a person being cared for will only pay one poll tax liability; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave him on 27 July 1989Official Report, column 931.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table indicating which local authorities gain and which authorities lose as a result of the Government's latest decisions on safety nets and the community charge, in terms of pounds sterling per adult.

Mr. David Hunt

For 1990–91 there is no change from the proposal for the safety net announced on 19 July. The proposal to abolish the safety net after 1990–91 will benefit chargepayers in those areas which would otherwise have had to contribute directly to the safety net. The position of areas benefiting from the safety net will be unchanged.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's estimate of how many households in Leeds will receive safety net payments on the community charge, according to the number of people in the household.

Mr. David Hunt

The information requested is not available. If the effect of the safety net is to reduce community charges in Leeds then the same reduced community charge will apply to each liable adult in every household.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's illustrative figures on the impact of the community charge on households in Leeds as a result of the recent decision, assuming that the local authority spends at its grant-related expenditure allocation level.

Mr. David Hunt

I have no information on the impact of the community charge on different types of households in individual local authority areas.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to which members of a four-person household which qualifies for safety-net payments under community charge transitional payment the reduction will be applied.

Mr. David Hunt

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Conway) on 20 October,Official Report, column 262. Copies of the Department's further proposals document, which sets out the basis on which transitional relief should be given for larger households with three or more adults, are in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what inflation assumptions for local authority expenditure are made in his Department's indicative figures for the impact of the community charge.

Mr. David Hunt

I have published no indicative figures showing my estimate of future community charge levels. Illustrative figures were provided on 19 July based on local authority spending levels in 1989–90, which required no inflation assumption.