§ 1989. Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the average rate support grant allocated to local authorities in(a) 1979 and (b)
§ Mr. ChopeIn 1979–80 there were 405 local authorities in England eligible for rate support grant. The total amount of rate support grant paid was £4,624,902,834.
In 1988–89 there were 425 local authorities in England eligible for rate support grant. The total amount of rate support grant paid was £9,076,759,236.
§ Mr. MarlowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is giving to community chargepayers who receive communications from local authorities under the heading "Poll Tax"; and what action he intends to take.
§ Mr. ChopeThe Department continues to explain that "poll tax" is a misleading and erroneous term for the community charge and is encouraged by research which suggests that very few people are deceived. Whenever necessary, local authorities are reminded of the need for communications to be accurate and that certain formal notices to community chargepayers could be invalid if they do not conform to the requirements of regulations made under the 1988 and 1989 Acts.
§ Mr. MarlowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the per capita levels of expenditure that he assesses for(a) Northampton district and (b) Northamptonshire county council for 1990–91; and what is the impact on the community chargepayer for each £1 per capita that either authority spends in excess of this level.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment proposed on 6 November 1989 standard spending assessments of £103 per adult and £688 per adult for Northampton district and Northamptonshire county council respectively. Each £1 per adult spent by either authority in excess of these figures would result in a £1 increase in the community charge.