§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has given to ensure that local authorities use computer software for the administration of the council tax which is(a) efficient and cost effective and (b) compatible, as far as possible, with equipment used in the administration of the community charge.
§ Mr. Robin SquireIt is a matter for local authorities to decide which computer system they use to run the council tax. My Department has sponsored a detailed council tax computer system specification produced by the Local Authority Systems Alliance. This offers advice on all identified user requirements and addresses the varied application needs of authorities for in-house computer development, software house systems and package evaluation. A copy has been sent to all authorities.