HC Deb 30 November 1992 vol 215 cc12-4W
Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to alter the council tax multiplier to 3/6 at band A, 6/6 at band D and 18/6 at band H.

Mr. Robin Squire

No.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to provide for an A 1 band for council tax for properties worth less than £30,000, in areas where 50 per cent. of properties are in band A.

Mr. Robin Squire

No.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against valuation banding are expected or planned for after 1 April; how quickly appeals will be heard after 1 April by the Inland Revenue; and what is the expected wait for a hearing on average.

Mr. Robin Squire

Appeals against council tax banding will start life as proposals to alter banding lists. It is impossible to predict the number of such proposals which will be made after 1 April 1993, and it is therefore pointless to speculate on the length of time it will take to deal with them.

We have, however, made administrative plans to deal with the eventuality of up to 950,000 initial proposals (5 per cent. of domestic properties), earmarking sufficient funds for this purpose in the recent public expenditure survey. We will review our plans when we have a clearer view of the likely workload.

Ms. Jowell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect the proposed council tax levy on nursing and residential care homes will have on residents of these homes; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Robin Squire

The council tax bills faced by care home owners will generally be modest, especially when compared to the total running costs of such homes. They will benefit from the banding arrangements, which mean that the council tax bill for the most expensive dwelling is limited to twice that for a band D home in the same area. Many care home owners will also receive reductions for disabilities, 50 per cent. personal discounts and transitional reductions. Taking account of all these reductions, the council tax is likely to add only a few tens of pence a week per resident to the costs of running a home—a tiny fraction of total costs.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his office will produce details of(a) national average council tax band D equivalent, (b) the percentage of winners and losers in each region, (c) council tax benefit tapers and (d) the transitional relief scheme.

Mr. Robin Squire

[holding answer 26 November 1992]: The answer to (a) can only be calculated after local authorities have set their council tax for 1993–94 next spring. We have no intention of making any predictions of national average council taxes. Similarly, on (b), we shall be making no predictions of winners and losers in each region.

On (c), the Secretary of State for Social Security announced the details of the council tax benefit scheme on 28 November 1991. The scheme includes a taper of 20 per cent. which means that for those with income above their appropriate applicable amount, council tax benefit will be reduced by 20p for every £1 of excess income.

On (d), the details of the transitional relief scheme were announced in the statement my right hon. and learned Friend made on 26 November.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how single person households will be better off under the council tax, ignoring transitional relief, than under the poll tax.

Mr. Robin Squire

[holding answer 26 November 1992]: This will depend on the council taxes which local authorities set in the spring. Local taxes are a matter for local authorities to determine in the light of their local circumstances.