§ Mr. BoothTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how local authorities have budgeted for 1993–94; what decisions in the light of those budgets he has reached on council tax capping for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardThis year, the first years of the council tax, all but a tiny minority of authorities have set affordable budgets and council taxes. Only three of 419 English authorities have in my opinion set budgets which are excessive or represent an excessive year-on-year increase.
I have designated these three authorities—Castle Point, Gloucestershire, and Harlow—for capping and I have proposed caps as shown in the table.
amount. If an authority does not accept my proposed cap I have to set the final cap by order, a draft of which must be approved by the House of Commons.