HC Deb 05 March 2002 vol 381 cc180-1W
Mr. Mark Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of increasing the number of council tax band rates; and if he will make a statement. [40183]

Dr. Whitehead

In the White Paper, "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services" (CM5237), we said that we would legislate to require properties to be revalued for council tax purposes every 10 years, that work on the first revaluation would commence in 2005 and that it would be completed in time for the council tax bills issued in 2007. We said that we would listen to the views of taxpayers and local government about council tax bands and related matters.

Mr. Mark Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the change in levels of band D council tax since 1997. [40184]

Dr. Whitehead

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, gave to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on 9 January 2002,Official Report, column 849W.

Mr. Mark Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the average band D council tax level in(a) Greater London and (b) the City of Westminster for each year since 1992. [40178]

Dr. Whitehead

Council tax was introduced in England in April 1993. The table shows the average band D council tax for the Greater London area, and the City of Westminster's own and area band D council tax for each financial year from 1993–94 to 2001–02. Council tax figures for 2002–03 are not yet available.

£
Greater London City of Westminster
Average band D council tax1 Own band D council tax Area band D council tax1
1993–94 558 131 295
1994–95 534 73 245
1995–96 576 189 275
1996–97 616 206 295
1997–98 651 203 304
1998–99 687 212 325
1999–2000 731 230 350
2000–01 778 235 375
2001–02 841 259 410
1 The area council tax includes amounts collected for the Metropolitan Police and London Fire and Civil Defence Authority (1993–94 to 1999–2000), and the Greater London Authority (from 2000–01), as well as amounts collected for individual boroughs.