Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Chapman of Darlington Excerpts

Monday 12th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North) (Lab)]

5. When he expects to announce the allocation of the transitional council tax grant to local authorities.

[Jenny Chapman (Darlington) (Lab)]

11. When he expects to announce the allocation of the transitional council tax grant to local authorities.

[Yvonne Fovargue (Makerfield) (Lab)]

17. When he expects to announce the allocation of the transitional council tax grant to local authorities.

--- Later in debate ---

[Brandon Lewis]

I would be very disappointed if the hon. Gentleman’s council was affecting the most vulnerable in the community, as this Government have put in place protections for them, and the guidelines are clear about that. Those who are among the most vulnerable suffered from the doubling of council tax under the previous Government and saw the benefits bill more than double. It is important that councils protect the vulnerable, which is why this Government have put the new scheme in place, with the opportunity and the money from the transitional grant, to help them do just that.

[Jenny Chapman]

I have listened to what the Minister has said, and I have to agree with my council leader, Bill Dixon, that the Government are behaving like a bunch of headless chickens. They have had to introduce a new fund to make up for a policy that was not quite thought through. Why did they not think it through?

[Brandon Lewis]

Under the previous Government, the council tax benefit bill went from £2 billion to almost £4.5 billion. It is right that this Government are dealing with the deficit that the previous Government left us and sorting out the economic problem. We are letting local authorities deal with what they need to do locally, and we have put in place £100 million to protect the most vulnerable, whom councils such as the hon. Lady’s unfortunately seem to want to hit.