HC Deb 20 November 2002 vol 394 c121W
20. Mr. Goodman

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to grant local authorities more power to raise taxation. [81560]

Mr. Leslie

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 16 July 2002, Official Report, column 236W. We also announced yesterday that we will be granting local authorities new powers to restrict council tax discounts on second homes and long-term empty properties.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many representations his Department has received from Eddisbury constituency residents about local government funding in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the arguments in those representations. [81033]

Mr. Raynsford

The county of Cheshire is one of the constituent authorities of the F40 education funding campaign, from whom a very large number of letters were received as part of the recent consultation on local government grant distribution. Our records show that five letters have been received directly from residents of Eddisbury constituency in the last 12 months.