§ Ms. Janet AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue guidance to local authorities for the collection of the council tax for households where the liable person or persons are in receipt of income support, but where other members of that household are wage earners.
§ Mr. Robin SquireIn the case described by the hon. Member, council tax benefit will meet the full council tax liability except for a deduction in respect of any of the wage earners who are classed as non-dependents. This has been made clear to local authorities in guidance issued to them by my Department and the Department of Social Security. I have sent a copy to the hon. Member.
§ Ms. Janet AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce the transitional relief arrangements for the council tax; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Robin SquireWe will be announcing the details of the council tax transitional reduction scheme as part of the local government finance settlement proposals later this month.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the recovery of(a) community charge arrears and (b) council tax arrears following the introduction of the council tax from people who are (1) unemployed, (2) in receipt of sickness benefit or (3) in receipt of income support.
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe existing range of enforcement methods, including deductions from income support and distress, will be available to enable authorities to recover community charge and council tax owed to them. It is open to authorities to come to voluntary arrangements with debtors to pay off their arrears.
§ Ms. Janet AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of the relief available in each band under the council tax regulations for disabled persons.
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe intention of the scheme of council tax reductions for people with disabilities is that no-one should be required to pay more council tax as a result of extra accommodation required because of a disability. Accordingly, where a dwelling in bands B to H includes a qualifying feature the council tax bill will be reduced to that for the valuation band immediately below that to which the dwelling was allocated in the valuation list. If a dwelling is in band A, any additional accommodation cannot have resulted in a higher council tax banding, and so no reduction is appropriate.
§ Ms. Janet AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for. the Environment what guidance he has issued to local authorities in respect of the disregard of certain persons for the purposes of council tax liability assessment.
§ Mr. Robin SquireExtensive guidance on this matter was included in council tax practice note No. 2, "Liability, Discounts and Exemptions", which has been sent to all local authorities. I have sent a copy of the practice note to the hon. Member.