HC Deb 18 January 1990 vol 165 cc363-4W
Mr. Rooker

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the estimates of the distributional impact of the community charge on household finance using the figures he published on 6 November 1989.

Mr. Chope

I will publish estimates based on the assumed community charges announced on 11 January shortly.

Mr. Cleland

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his best estimate of the number of local authorities which he estimates will set poll tax at a level of £278; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chope

[holding answer 15 January 1990]: If authorities spend in line with our assumptions, the community charge will be at or below £278 in 238 out of 366 areas in England.

Mr. Shersby

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what level of grant loss results from the revised standard spending assessment for the London borough of Hillingdon; and on what basis the figures have changed since the assessment made by his Department in November 1989.

Mr. Chope

[holding answer 17 January 1990]: The standard spending assessment (SSA) for Hillingdon published on 11 January is lower overall than that published on 6 November 1989 primarily because of reductions in its highway maintenance and capital financing SSA elements.

The reduction in the estimated revenue support grant entitlement for Hillingdon for 1990–91 (before safety net adjustments) flowing from the reports laid on 11 January as compared with our 6 November proposals is £2.638 million. This is attributable to changes in our figures for adult population as well as to changes in SSA.

Mr. Shersby

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the level of the community charge for the London borough of Hillingdon based on the figures published by him on 11 January with the benefit of the safety net; by how much this figure exceeds the Government's estimate of £278 for a standard level of service; what is his estimate of overspending by Hillingdon per adult; what he expects the final level of community charge will be; and if he will make a statement on the basis on which the above figures were calculated.

Mr. Chope

[holding answer 17 January 1990]: The figures placed in the Library on 11 January show an assumed 1990–91 community charge of £359 in Hillingdon. Hillingdon's assumed spending is £121 per community charge payer higher than its standard spending assessment.

The final level of community charges will depend on budget decisions made by local authorities. The spending assumptions underlying the 11 January figures are set out in the transition report (England) laid on that date.

Mr. Marlow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the main factors which determine the levels of community charge to be raised by different authorities spending at their SSA level.

Mr. Chope

[holding answer 17 January 1990]: Revenue support grant is distributed so that if each notifiable authority were to spend at the level of its standard spending assessment then, subject to qualifications set out in the distribution report (England), all charging authorities could set the same personal community charge—the community charge for standard spending.

The community charge for standard spending in 1990–91 will be £277.94.