HC Deb 14 March 1991 vol 187 cc670-2W
Mr. Hayward

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers there are to penalise councillors who fail to pay their community charge.

Mr. Key

None.

Mrs. Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider extending the grounds for exemption from the poll tax to include severe physical handicap.

Mr. Key

Our review of local government finance is considering all aspects of the community charge. Under the present arrangements people with disabilities may be helped by the community charge benefit disability and severe disability premiums.

Mr. Dixon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the effect on the poll tax for 1991–92 in South Tyneside if Government grants were the same as in 1978–79 in real terms.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 8 March 1991]: Since I April 1990, in contrast to previous arrangements, revenue support grant has been paid to the receiving authority for each area in support jointly of its own expenditure and that of the precepting authorities in the area. For this reason it is not possible to make direct comparisons at the individual authority level between the new grant system and previous systems. Also it is inappropriate to apply the national percentage rate of grant to individual authorities, since in both old and new systems grant is paid at different rates to different authorities, reflecting differences in their local needs and resources.

Mr. Lofthouse

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the level of Government grants for 1990–91 per head of population in Wakefield metropolitan district council;

(2) what would be the effect on the poll tax for 1991–92 in Wakefield metropolitan district council if Government grants were the same as in 1978–79 in real terms;

(3) what grant per poll tax payer is received by Wakefield metropolitan district council.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 11 March 1991]: Government grants, consisting of revenue support grant, special grants, specific grants in aggregate external finance, community charge benefit grant and transitional relief grant, were £208 per head of population and £271 per head of relevant population in Wakefield in 1990–91.

Since 1 April 1990, in contrast to previous arrangements, revenue support grant has been paid to the receiving authority for each area in support jointly of its own expenditure and that of the precepting authorities in the area. For this reason it is not possible to make direct comparisons at the individual authority level between the new grant system and previous systems. Also it is inappropriate to apply the national percentage rate of grant to individual authorities, since in both old and new systems grant is paid at different rates to different authorities, reflecting differences in their local needs and resources.

Mr. Favell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the average domestic rate bill in each local authority in England which would be necessary to yield the same revenue as his estimate of the yield of the community charge in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

Mr. Portillo

[holding answer 12 March 1991]: I am arranging for the information for 1990–91 to be placed in the Library of the House. Information for 1991–92 will not be available until authorities inform the Department of their budgets.

Mr. Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the effect on the poll tax for 1991–92 in(a) Salford, (b) Wigan and (c) Bolton if Government grants were the same as in 1978–79 in real terms.

Mr. Cryer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the effect on the poll tax for 1991–92 in Bradford if Government grants were the same as in 1978–79 in real terms; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 12 March 1991]: Since 1 April 1990, in contrast to previous arrangements, revenue support grant has been paid to the receiving authority for each area in support jointly of its own expenditure and that of the precepting authorities in the area. For this reason it is not possible to make direct comparisons at the individual authority level between the new grant system and previous systems. Also it is inappropriate to apply the national percentage rate of grant to individual authorities, since in both old and new systems grant is paid at different rates to different authorities, reflecting differences in their local needs and resources.

Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grant per poll tax payer is received by Maidstone and Faversham.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 12 March 1991]: Government grants, consisting of revenue support grant, special grants, specific grants in aggregate external finance, community charge benefit grant and transitional relief grant are, per head of relevant population in 1990–91, £206 in Maidstone and £231 in Swale.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage of total budgeted council expenditure which is paid for by poll tax in(a) Waltham Forest, (b) Wandsworth and (c) Westminster in 1991–92.

Mr. Key

[holding answer 13 March 1991.]: Income from community charges, together with revenue support grant and receipts from the non-domestic rates pool, finances the spending of each charging authority and the appropriate precepting authorities. It is not possible to attribute a proportion of an individual authority's spending to any particular source of income.