HC Deb 27 November 1992 vol 214 cc891-2W
Mr. Ian Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the Ordnance Survey corporate plan for 1993 to 1997.

Mr. Howard

I have approved the Ordnance Survey corporate plan for 1993–97 and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of both Houses.

Mr. Howard

Scheme council taxes will be calculated by each billing authority depending on authorities' actual budget requirements. At this stage, no figures are therefore held centrally.

Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the draft valuation lists sent to billing authorities in England on 27 November.

Mr. Redwood

The draft valuation lists sent to billing authorities in England show the bandings of the 20,025,366 dwellings in England. The number of dwellings in each council tax band is given in the table. Information about the number of dwellings in each billing authority area and their distribution between bands has been placed in the Library.

Local taxpayers will be able to inspect draft lists at the principal office of billing authorities from next week. The lists will also be available for inspection at local offices of the Valuation Office agency.

The bandings are based on the capital value of dwellings had they been sold on 1 April 1991. The Valuation Office agency was responsible for the supervision of the valuation exercise and was assisted by private sector valuers. The valuation exercise was largely complete by July 1992, since when addresses have been validated by local authorities.