§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue will commence the valuation of domestic properties in preparation for the introduction of the council tax; and how their costs will be financed.
§ Mr. MaplesSubject to the enactment of the Local Government Finance and Valuation Bill the preparatory work on the valuation of domestic properties will begin in604W August 1991. This preparatory work will be put in hand by the Inland Revenue Valuation Office on behalf of the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office and will include the direction of the work in Scotland for the Scottish Office.
Parliamentary approval for this new expenditure will be sought in supplementary estimates for the "Revenue support grant, payments of non-domestic rates, Valuation Office rating services etc., England Vote"—class VIII vote 9—the "Revenue support grant, Community charge reduction scheme grant and payments of national non-domestic rates, Wales Vote"—class XVI vote 10—the "Rate rebate grants transitional relief and community charge reduction grants, Scotland Vote"—class XV vote 22—and the "Inland Revenue administration Vote"—class XVIII vote 6.
Pending that approval urgent expenditure by the Inland Revenue estimated at £61 million will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is making a separate announcement about the arrangements in Scotland.