HC Deb 25 March 1991 vol 188 c294W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to ensure that employees who are required, for short periods of the year, to live in at their place of work are not required to pay community charge in respect of both their permanent abode and their temporary residence at their place of work.

Mr. David Hunt

Following our initial review of the community charge last year and associated consultation on the document entitled "The Standard Community Charge and Other Matters", a number of changes to the structure of the standard charge were brought into force by means of the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 1990 (S.I. 1990/2475). Among the new prescribed classes that will apply from 1 April 1991 is a class of unoccupied property (class M), with a maximum standard charge multiplier of 0.5 where the person subject to the standard community charge occupies another property which is job-related. In addition, local authorities already possess considerable discretion to specify their own standard community charge classes, and they may do so by reference to a number of factors, including the circumstances—other than financial circumstances—of persons subject to a standard charge.