§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much extra Government grant he has determined he will need to provide to compensate for the fact that average house prices are lower than the Government estimated for the council tax valuation.
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe provision for Government grant each year depends on a large number of factors. These include the Government's view of the appropriate total of revenue spending by local authorities, the estimated amount of non-domestic rates, the implications for local taxes and what the country can afford. Average house prices are not a material consideration, either under the present system or under the forthcoming council tax.