---

Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill

The £200 extra help with the council tax was opposed by the Opposition. Pensioners in receipt of the guaranteed pension credit get a 100 per cent. rebate of council tax. Of course, it is our policy to improve take-up and I join with the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar in making that point. I hope that he will join our campaign, in a non-partisan manner, to encourage take-up of the benefit by pensioners by explaining its advantages. But I would wager that not many people in receipt of, or entitled to, council tax benefit cross the door of the hon. Gentleman.