§ Sir Eldon GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will discuss with the local authority associations and the national builders federation the position of small building companies that have built housing estates for sale but not yet found purchasers for those houses and that are being charged twice the standard community charge on each empty house.
§ Mr. David HuntNewly built domestic property is entitled to complete relief from the standard charge for at least six months after it has been substantially completed. Local authorities have discretion to extend that period for such property for as long as they wish; they also have discretion to levy a charge which is less than twice the personal charge. These decisions are for individual local authorities to take and justify in the light of local circumstances, and it would not be appropriate for the Government to seek to influence those decisions.
§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities which174W have now set their community charge levels, to the latest convenient date; what level of charge has been set in each case; and what is the political control of each authority concerned.
§ Mr. Chope[holding answer 26 February 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 21 February. (Official Report, Vol. 167, column 741).
§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken by his Department to collate publicly available information on community charge registrations by hon. Members; how much of this information was collected; and for what purposes it was collected.