Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his Department informed Westminster City Council that the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House occupied by the then Deputy Prime Minister should be billed for the second homes council tax premium.

Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office were aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. Similarly, the Cabinet Office is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council (WCC) for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House.

WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly.

The Government Property Agency wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second home's premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.