§ David DavisTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of unpaid council tax in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997. [105280]
§ Mr. LeslieCentral Government do not currently collect information on the level of council tax arrears owed to English local authorities. Figures are, however, collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, which it publishes annually in its Revenue Collection Statistics series. Those that are available for the East Riding of Yorkshire in each year since 1997 are tabled as follows.
East Riding of Yorkshire £000 Financial year In-year council tax arrears as at 31 March Previous years' council tax arrears as at 31 March Total council tax arrears as at 31 March 1996–97 1— 1— 1— 1997–98 4,210 2,080 6,290 1998–99 2,718 2,461 5,179 1999–2000 2,766 2,896 5,662 2000–01 3,361 1,741 4,832 1Estimates for 1996–97 are not available Following discussions with local government, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will, however, be collecting information from English billing authorities on the level of council tax arrears on the QRC4 return for each financial year from 2002–03.