§ Q60. Dr. GodmanTo ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any proposals to deduct poll tax payments directly from payments of income support; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc (Scotland) Act 1987 was amended by the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to provide this additional power for the enforcement of community charge debts. The Community Charges (Deductions from Income Support) (Scotland) Reglations 1989 (SI 1989 No. 507) made under this power enable the social security adjudicating authorities to authorise deductions to be made from income support in Scotland to pay community charge debts. Deductions can only be made at the request of a charging authority which must first obtain a warrant from a court to prove the debt. Parallel regulations will apply in England and Wales from April 1990.