To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to grant specific relief or exemption from part of the community charge for those couples who are both blind.
Disabled people, including those who are registered as blind, can already receive higher levels of community charge benefit, which may reduce bills by up to 80 per cent, because of their disability. The income level at which they are entitled to maximum community charge benefit, and where the sliding scale of reductions begins, is higher than for other people. A disabled person who is not a former ratepayer or the partner of a former ratepayer may also be entitled to extra transitional relief.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the inquiries or audits undertaken by the Audit Commission on the finances of individual local authorities in 1990.
[holding answer 12 June 1990]: As for every financial year, auditors appointed by the Audit Commission will undertake audits of the accounts of all local authorities for 1990–91. Information on public interest reports made by auditors to local authorities under section 15 of the Local Government Finance Act 1982 is held by the Audit Commission.