Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate his Department has made of the revenue required to be raised by council tax in 1996–97 to meet local government expenditure from the 1995–96 financial year. [36036]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordEach year, billing authorities estimate the surplus or deficit on council tax collection from previous years which they propose to take into account in setting their council tax for the current year. A deficit would represent income to be raised in 1996–97 to meet expenditure from a previous financial year. However, in setting the council tax for 1996–97, billing authorities in aggregate assumed a surplus from 1995–96 and earlier years of £106 million, rather than a deficit.
Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the Government-approved council tax increase for local government for the years 1995–96 and 1996–97 in percentage terms. [36037]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe Government do not set an approved level of council tax increase.