§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest estimate of the cost to Scottish local authorities of collection of non-domestic rates in 1989–90 and the cost of the collection of non-domestic rates in 1988–89.
§ Mr. RifkindLocal authorities have estimated the cost of collecting non-domestic rates in 1989–90 at £1.6 million. No corresponding figure is available for 1988–89 as returns from authorities for years prior to 1989–90 did not show separately the cost of collecting domestic and non-domestic rates.