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Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill

My hon. Friend comes to these matters with considerable knowledge and I entirely agree with his point about the balance of funding. If I am allowed to make a little progress, I shall come precisely to that point. It is worth reminding the House that in 1998 the Command Paper, ““Modern Government: In Touch with the People””, examined the popularity of the council tax and in clear and unambiguous words endorsed the tax by saying:"““The council tax is working well as a local tax. It has been widely accepted and is generally very well understood””." Yet, after seven short years, there is a very different public perception of the tax. That is best summed up by Sir Michael Lyons in his letter to stakeholders on 20 September, which stated:"““Council Tax has suffered from problems relating to its rate of increase and perceived unfairness””." That is understandable when the Government cap councils that have increased council tax by a few pence a week and ignore others that have introduced increases many times that size. It is understandable when pensioners are being thrown into prison. It is understandable when a third of the increase in the basic state pension has been taken up in higher council tax for a typical pensioner.