Written question asked by Caroline Spelman (Conservative) on Wednesday, 6 July 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 11 July 2005. It was answered by Phil Woolas (Labour) on Thursday, 14 July 2005 on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Local Government Finance

Question: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2005, Official Report, column 1653W, on local government finance, if he will list the local authorities to which the questionnaire was sent; and what criteria were used to select the local authorities.

Answer: The questionnaire was sent to local authorities with representatives on a practical implementation working group on council tax revaluation set up by the ODPM and on a software suppliers forum that exists to consider possible software issues arising from changes to the council tax and business rates regime. The local authorities concerned are Birmingham city council, City of London, Derby city council, the London borough of Redbridge, Sedgemoor district council, Slough borough council, Somerset county council, the London borough of Tower Hamlets and Weymouth and Portland borough council.

Secondary information