Local Government Finance (Hansard, 27 February 1991)

§ 22. Mr. Burns
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of the community charge.

§ Mr. Key
Discussions with local authority associations and those parties who have accepted our offer to take part in consultations continue. I hope to be able to give a first indication of our thinking in the spring.

§ 24. Mr. Haynes
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now announce the results of his review of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Portillo
No.

§ Mr. Soley
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been included in the revenue support grant settlement for(a) the costs of providing bed-and-breakfast accommodation and (b) the costs of private sector leasing in each of the years 1990–91 and 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Portillo
The standard spending assessments on which distribution of revenue support grant is based do not make a separately identifiable provision for the costs of providing bed-and-breakfast accommodation or for private sector leasing. But the settlement aggregates for 1990–91 and 1991–92 do take into account the cost of providing temporary and short-term accommodation outside the housing revenue account.

§ 33. Mr. Dunn
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much assistance a couple living in a property of half average rateable value in Dartford will receive under the community charge reduction scheme in 1992.

§ Mr. Key
If Dartford borough council sets its community charge next year at or above £339, a couple528W who have not moved since 31 March 1990 living in a property of half average rateable value could look forward to a reduction of £373 between them.

§ 27. Mrs. Margaret Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete the review of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement on the progress the review is making in finding an alternative to the poll tax.

§ 31. Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of his review of the poll tax and alternatives to it; and when he expects the review to be completed.

§ Mr. Key
I hope to be able to give a first indication of our thinking in the spring, but the review will continue until we are satisfied that we have identified the building blocks to provide a stable and just basis for the future development of local government.