HC Deb 12 July 1990 vol 176 cc298-9W
Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost to each local authority of sending reminder letters to late or non-payers of the community charge; and if he will express the cost per community charge payer to each authority.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

Although local authorities make returns to my Department of the administrative cost of collecting the community charge, the returns do not show separately the cost of sending reminder letters.

Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those authorities with less than 95 per cent. collection of the community charge.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The collection of community charges is the responsibility of individual local authorities and the information requested is not held centrally. However, the majority of authorities have based their budgets for 1990–91 on an assumed collection rate of at least 95 per cent.

Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the cost per person for the collection of the community charge in each local authority area.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

On the basis of local authorities' budget estimates, the cost per charge payer of collecting the community charge by levying authority is as follows:

£ per charge payer
Regional Council
Borders 12.14
Central 18.86
Dumfries and Galloway 19.64
Fife 12.95
Grampian 12.56
Highland 14.83
Lothian 15.99
Strathclyde 12.69
Tayside 12.82
Islands Council
Orkney 8.03
Shetland 28.94
Western Isles 11.66

These figures include the cost of the registration work but exclude the cost of operating the rebate and transitional relief schemes.