Local Government Finance

Mr. Squire

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the total of local government (a) revenue and (b) capital expenditure by local government within Scotland for each year from 1978–79 to 1991–92 (estimated).

The information requested is as follows:

	Total revenue expenditure £ million	Total capital expenditure £ million
1978–79	1,738·0	543·1
1979–80	2,096·1	643·9
1980–81	2,616·5	657·4
1981–82	2,927·3	723·8
1982–83	3,145·7	780·4
1983–84	3,316·3	929·3
1984–85	3,490·8	859·8
1985–86	3,606·0	875·2
1986–87	3,824·2	917·7
1987–88	4,085·0	1,094·3
1988–89	4,426·0	1,161·7
1989–90	4,724·1	1,246·7
1990–91	5,178·9	1,234·5
1991–92	5,647·4	1,253·4

Notes:

1. The revenue figures are final outturn for the years up to and including 1989–90: provisional outturn for 1990–91: and budget estimate for 1991–92.

2. The capital figures are final outturn for the years up to and including 1990–91: and estimated outturn for 1991–92.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the proportion of local authority revenue expenditure in Scotland financed by (a) Government grant, (b) non-domestic rates and (c) local domestic taxation in each year from 1978–79 to 1990–91 and estimates for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

The table shows the proportion of Scottish local authorities' income from each source. This differs from revenue expenditure only to the extent that local authorities made use of balances to fund expenditure.

	Central Government Grant Per cent	Non-Domestic Rates Per cent	Domestic Rates/ Community Charge Per cent.
1978–79	64·9	22·2	12·9
1979–80	63·1	24·2	12·8
1980–81	60·3	25·8	13·8
1981–82	53·9	29·7	16·4
1982–83	52·9	30·1	17·0
1983–84	54·1	29·4	16·5
1984–85	55·1	28·6	16·3
1985–86	53·6	28·6	17·8
1986–87	51·0	30·0	19·0
1987–88	50·3	30·1	19·6
1988–89	51·3	29·4	19·3
1989–90	52·4	25·9	21·7
1990–91	54·9	23·8	21·3
1991–92	60·9	23·8	15·3
1992–93	63·1	20·6	16·4

Notes:

1. The rate and revenue support grant figures used in calculating the percentages are final amounts or those applying to the most recent order.

2. The domestic rate figures used are net of domestic relief and are inclusive of rebates.

3. For 1991–92 Government support includes community charge grant.

4. The 1992–93 community charge income proportions are calculated from budget estimate amounts taken from the provisional outturn/budget estimate 1992 returns made to the Scottish Office by local authorities. For those authorities whose returns have not yet been received, amounts have been estimated based on assumed payment rates for 1991–92.

5. The proportions for 1991–92 and 1992–93 are estimates.

6. From 1984–85 onwards central Government support includes revenue support grant and specific grants. A breakdown of specific grants is not available for earlier years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the total numbers of (a) summonses and (b) liability orders issued for poll tax debt in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

None. The procedure for recovery of debts, including community charge arrears, is different in Scotland from that in England and Wales.There is no equivalent of summonses for community charge arrears in Scotland.The nearest equivalent to a liability order is a summary warrant. It is however customary for local authorities to apply for a single warrant in respect of many debtors. Information on the total number of persons subject to summary warrant procedure is not held centrally.The number of summary warrants issued in respect of the community charge for the two years for which figures are available are:

Year	Number
1989	76
1990	876

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount of poll tax income is still owed to local authorities for 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

The amount of local authorities' budgeted community charge income uncollected at 31 December 1991—the most recent date for which information is available—is as follows:

Year	£ million
1989–90	68·7
1990–91	157·6
1991–92	351·0

Volume 205: debated on Monday 2 March 1992