I am shocked that any Government would play around with revaluation for party political purposes. However, that is the sort of history that the Conservative party has. I referred to 1956, not 1955, but I believe that the Government managed to string matters out until April 1963. Revaluations can get...

I am shocked that any Government would play around with revaluation for party political purposes. However, that is the sort of history that the Conservative party has. I referred to 1956, not 1955, but I believe that the Government managed to string matters out until April 1963. Revaluations can get...

Does my hon. Friend agree that some lessons can be learned from the success of the revaluations of business rates? Since 1990, they have stuck to a five-yearly sequence. The Government should aim for the same success with council tax and the regularity of its revaluation.

Does my hon. Friend agree that some lessons can be learned from the success of the revaluations of business rates? Since 1990, they have stuck to a five-yearly sequence. The Government should aim for the same success with council tax and the regularity of its revaluation.

I agree. My hon. Friend anticipates one of the points that was at the top of my list. We are in the current position partly because of the way in which house prices have increased and our prosperous economy under the Government. I shall not give all the economic statistics—I...

I agree. My hon. Friend anticipates one of the points that was at the top of my list. We are in the current position partly because of the way in which house prices have increased and our prosperous economy under the Government. I shall not give all the economic statistics—I...

: My hon. Friend has rightly identified the issue, which is the fear factor among the public. One of the biggest worries that people have is about their council tax. After what has happened under previous Governments, there is a real fear that a revaluation would simply mean an increase,...

: My hon. Friend has rightly identified the issue, which is the fear factor among the public. One of the biggest worries that people have is about their council tax. After what has happened under previous Governments, there is a real fear that a revaluation would simply mean an increase,...

I certainly agree that we can learn from what has happened with business rates, and the House needs to discuss business rates as part of this overall package. We could also learn from what happened in Scotland. The Opposition’s amendment tonight decries the fact that the revaluation applies only to...

I certainly agree that we can learn from what has happened with business rates, and the House needs to discuss business rates as part of this overall package. We could also learn from what happened in Scotland. The Opposition’s amendment tonight decries the fact that the revaluation applies only to...

My hon. Friend has mentioned the Conservative party’s amendment and the fact that it calls for a cancellation. Is he aware that if we decided to vote for the Conservative amendment, we would ensure a 2007 revaluation of council tax?

My hon. Friend has mentioned the Conservative party’s amendment and the fact that it calls for a cancellation. Is he aware that if we decided to vote for the Conservative amendment, we would ensure a 2007 revaluation of council tax?

I certainly do. Such fear is often a fear of the unknown. It is sometimes whipped up by the Opposition parties, and sometimes by the situation being mis-explained by the media, although sometimes it is properly explained by the media. With that fear comes a fear of revaluation per se....

I certainly do. Such fear is often a fear of the unknown. It is sometimes whipped up by the Opposition parties, and sometimes by the situation being mis-explained by the media, although sometimes it is properly explained by the media. With that fear comes a fear of revaluation per se....

As the statement of 20 September and as my right hon. Friend has made clear, our policy is to ensure that, following Sir Michael Lyons’s review, at the right time—we have said that we do not believe that that will be in the lifetime of this Parliament—we will introduce in...

As the statement of 20 September and as my right hon. Friend has made clear, our policy is to ensure that, following Sir Michael Lyons’s review, at the right time—we have said that we do not believe that that will be in the lifetime of this Parliament—we will introduce in...

My hon. Friend has been generous in giving way. May I try to help him on this point yet again? Many hon. Members wish to be reassured about whether he recognises that the longer the current council tax list continues without a revaluation, the more that list becomes unstable and...

My hon. Friend has been generous in giving way. May I try to help him on this point yet again? Many hon. Members wish to be reassured about whether he recognises that the longer the current council tax list continues without a revaluation, the more that list becomes unstable and...

My hon. Friend made that point in the debate. Of course, the answer depends on what happens to house prices. If he is asking whether the Government’s policy is to support a property tax on the basis of valuation, the answer is, of course, yes—unlike the Conservative party’s policy of...

My hon. Friend made that point in the debate. Of course, the answer depends on what happens to house prices. If he is asking whether the Government’s policy is to support a property tax on the basis of valuation, the answer is, of course, yes—unlike the Conservative party’s policy of...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, but can he tell the House when he and the Government envisage that power being used? The point has been made clearly during the debate that, due to the need to avoid a clash with the valuation for business rates, 2010 is not...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, but can he tell the House when he and the Government envisage that power being used? The point has been made clearly during the debate that, due to the need to avoid a clash with the valuation for business rates, 2010 is not...

My right hon. Friend makes an important point. The investment in the Valuation Office Agency—the computerisation, entering information and ongoing work—means that it can give me assurances that it will have the capacity to ensure that those revaluations can take place, if necessary, should Parliament decide on a concurrent timetable....

My right hon. Friend makes an important point. The investment in the Valuation Office Agency—the computerisation, entering information and ongoing work—means that it can give me assurances that it will have the capacity to ensure that those revaluations can take place, if necessary, should Parliament decide on a concurrent timetable....

£200!

£200!

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...

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...

I did listen to the hon. Gentleman closely, and that is why I referred to the article in The Mail on Sunday before I referred to the proportion claiming and I shall put on record the position regarding council tax benefit. Nobody in this country is being sent to jail...

I did listen to the hon. Gentleman closely, and that is why I referred to the article in The Mail on Sunday before I referred to the proportion claiming and I shall put on record the position regarding council tax benefit. Nobody in this country is being sent to jail...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for your firm chairing of this important debate. I emphasise the point that I would like to enter such a debate but I understand why it is not possible. My right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) made a characteristically well-informed...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for your firm chairing of this important debate. I emphasise the point that I would like to enter such a debate but I understand why it is not possible. My right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) made a characteristically well-informed...

That is outrageous.

That is outrageous.

If I had the time I should like to enter into a debate on the workings of council tax benefit, as it clearly covers—

If I had the time I should like to enter into a debate on the workings of council tax benefit, as it clearly covers—

Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker.

Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker.

We are all familiar with the fact that the House may agree or disagree with a Minister’s proposition, but the House does not do so on the basis of some existential musing: it does so because a Minister asks it to do so. Does the Minister intend to ask the...

We are all familiar with the fact that the House may agree or disagree with a Minister’s proposition, but the House does not do so on the basis of some existential musing: it does so because a Minister asks it to do so. Does the Minister intend to ask the...