HC Deb 29 March 1999 vol 328 cc465-6W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance his Department issues on byelaws drawn up by the privatised rail franchises. [79188]

Ms Glenda Jackson

No formal guidance is issued to rail operators regarding byelaws. However the Department has provided ad hoc advice to the Byelaws Reform Group who are overseeing the adoption of new byelaws by the railways industry. The Group is made up of London Underground, Railtrack, the British Transport

Mr. Keith Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the(a) highest and (b) lowest council tax at Band D for a council billing area, after transitional relief grant and council tax benefit, in Northamptonshire for 1999–2000. [78909]

Ms Armstrong

[holding answer 26 March 1999]: The highest Band D council tax for the shire districts in Northamptonshire in 1999–2000 will be £797 in South Northamptonshire while the lowest will be £682 in Wellingborough. No authority in Northamptonshire is eligible for Reorganisation Transitional Relief Grant in 1999–2000 and figures for the amount of Council Tax Benefit that the authorities expect to provide during the year are not yet available.

Mr. Wilshire

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the(a) highest and (b) lowest council tax at Band D for a council billing area, after transitional relief grant and council tax benefit, in (i) Bedfordshire, (ii) Buckinghamshire, (iii) Cambridgeshire, (iv) Cheshire, (v) Devon, (vi) Dorset, (vii) Durham, (viii) East Sussex, (ix) Essex, (x) Gloucestershire, (xi) Hampshire, (xii) Hertfordshire, (xiii) Nottinghamshire and (xiv) West Yorkshire for 1999–2000. [78910]

Ms Armstrong

[holding answer 26 March 1999]: The highest and lowest Band D council tax for the shire and metropolitan districts within each of the requested areas in 1999–2000 are shown in the table. No authority in these areas is eligible for Reorganisation Transitional Relief Grant in 1999–2000 and figures for the amount of Council Tax Benefit that the authorities expect to provide during the year are not yet available.

Police and representatives of the rail franchise operators. The new byelaws will have to be confirmed by the Secretary of State.