To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the reasons for the council tax collection rates of (a) Manchester, (b) Salford and (c) Hackney councils in 2006-07. (152408)

The collection and enforcement of council tax is a matter for individual billing authorities. Communities and Local Government has made no assessment of the reasons for 2006-07 collection rates in Manchester, Salford or Hackney. Across England, in-year collection of council tax rose for the seventh successive year in 2006-07, to 96.9 per cent. of the total collectable.