HC Deb 11 December 1991 vol 200 cc428-30W
Mr. William Powell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total of usable capital receipts held by each local authority in Northamptonshire on 31 March 1991.

Mr. Key

The usable capital receipts held on 31 March 1991 for all local authorities in Northamptonshire are given in the table.

Authority Total Usable Receipts as at 31 March 1991 £'000s
Northamptonshire 12,131
Corby 1
Daventry 8,728
East Northampton 3,144
Kettering 2,543
Northampton 20,874
South Northampton 2,729
Wellingborough 14,075

sourceDepartmental Returns.

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had over the Standard Community Charge and Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Domestic Property) (Amendment) Order 1991 (S.I., 1991, No. 474); and if he will review the order.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 9 December 1991]: We have had a number of representations about the six-person test of exemption from rates for small bed-and-breakfast properties set out in the order. Most have come from the occupiers of properties which do not qualify for exemption under the new test. We remain of the view that small properties used for bed and breakfast should not be liable for rates when the main use of the property is domestic. The six-person test is a practicable compromise and we have decided to retain it.

Mr. Ralph Howell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the total expenditure on(a) the preparation of the community charge prior to April 1990, (b) collection of the community charge (i) in 1990–91 and (ii) 1991–92, (c) expected cost of collection of the community charge in 1992–93, and if he will give details of (d) how much has already been spent, or budgeted for, on council tax before 1992 and (e) his estimate of expenditure on council tax in 1992–93.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 10 December 1991]: Local authorities in England have reported that in 1988–89 they spent £101 million on the capital and revenue costs of preparing for the introduction of the community charge and a further £261 million in 1989–90. Local authorities have estimated that the cost of collecting the community charge in 1990–91 was £444 million and in 1991–92 £498 million. We expect collection costs in 1992–93 to be of a similar order in real terms. The Government commissioned CSL Group Ltd. Management Consultants to estimate the additional costs to local authorities of preparing for the council tax. They estimate that local authorities would need to spend £156 million broken down as follows:

1991–92 £ million 1992–93 £ million Total £ million
Revenue 4.8 109.8 114.6
Capital 0.3 41.2 41.5
Total 5.1 151.0 156.1