To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) the Department for Communities and Local Government and (b) the Scottish Executive on the proposed exemption of members of the armed forces serving overseas from paying council tax; when these discussions took place; what assessment the Government have made of the cost of such a scheme; and if he will make a statement. (131689)

I met my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Local Government on 13 March to discuss a number of options on how best to provide support for the council tax costs of service personnel deployed on operations; these options are being further explored. Officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Communities and Local Government have kept the devolved Administrations informed of progress on this issue.