HC Deb 19 July 2004 vol 424 c103W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the impact of the current industrial action of civil servants on the payment of rates. [180791]

Mr. Pearson

While the ongoing industrial action is causing some disruption to services the Rates Collection Agency has deployed contingency measures and performance at the end of May 2004 was on a par with that at the end of May 2003.