HC Deb 22 November 1990 vol 181 cc186-7W
Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish tables showing for each local authority either the planned use of balances to support revenue expenditure in 1990–91 or the amount to be used to replenish balances as appropriate.

Mr. Portillo

I have today arranged for the available information to be placed in the Library.

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain a copy of "Local Government Finance, the 1990 reforms", by Michael Ridge and Stephen Smith, published inFiscal Studies August 1990 (Vol. 11, No. 3), for his Department's library.

Mr. Key

The Department's library already has a copy of the journal in which this article appears.

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress in collection of the community charge in England and 'Wales.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 21 November 1990]: Information from regular quarterly returns supplied by local authorities confirms that around nine out of 10 charge payers had begun paying their charges by the end of September. In many areas this figure is already approaching 100 per cent. and I look to all authorities to achieve figures close to this during the balance of this financial year. Collection of the community charge in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.