Asked by: Baroness King of Bow (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 7 January (HL4728), whether independence was one of the criteria by which candidates to chair the independent review of localisation of Council Tax support schemes were assessed.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
While independence was not referenced in my earlier answer, Ministers were mindful of independence in considering a chair, and have made it clear that this would be an independent review.
Asked by: Baroness King of Bow (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many candidates were interviewed for the post of chair of the independent review of the localisation of Council Tax support schemes.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The position is a Ministerial appointment based on the provisions in the Local Government Finance Act 2012. A range of potential candidates were considered by Ministers. Ministers selected the chair on the basis of:
Asked by: Karen Buck (Labour - Westminster North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to appoint the Chair of the review of the localisation of council tax benefit; and by what process he plans for that Chair and other people working on that review work to be selected.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The details of the Chair and terms of reference for the independent review of local council tax support schemes will be published in due course. A Review team comprising four full-time equivalents staff has been set up to provide project and analytical support to the Chair.
The Review will be completed by the end of March 2016.
Asked by: Karen Buck (Labour - Westminster North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the reason is for the time taken to publish the terms of reference of the review of the localisation of council tax benefit.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The details of the Chair and terms of reference for the independent review of local council tax support schemes will be published in due course. A Review team comprising four full-time equivalents staff has been set up to provide project and analytical support to the Chair.
The Review will be completed by the end of March 2016.
Asked by: Karen Buck (Labour - Westminster North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many staff are currently working on the review of the localisation of council tax benefit; and whether he plans for further appointments to be made to this team.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The details of the Chair and terms of reference for the independent review of local council tax support schemes will be published in due course. A Review team comprising four full-time equivalents staff has been set up to provide project and analytical support to the Chair.
The Review will be completed by the end of March 2016.
Asked by: Baroness King of Bow (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the response in August 2014 by the former Head of the Civil Service to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee’s report on Council Tax Support, what steps are being taken to ensure that comprehensive information is available on the impact of local council tax support schemes on vulnerable groups.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
These are local schemes and it is for local authorities to consider the effect on specific groups of council taxpayers.
The terms of reference for the independent review of local council tax support schemes will be published in due course. It will be for the Chair of the Review to consider what information they wish to take account of as part of the Review’s work.
The Review will be completed by March 2016.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 27 February 2014, Official Report, column 442W, on council tax benefits, what progress he has made in identifying the right data sources for an independent review into council tax support schemes; and with which local authorities his Department has been working.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Department is currently working with the Council Tax Partnership Forum and local authorities to identify appropriate and proportionate data for the review. The Council Tax Partnership Forum consists of representatives of local authorities, fire and rescue authorities, the Society of County Treasurers, the Society of District Council Treasurers, the Police Authority Treasurers Society, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Society for Information Technology Management, Unitary Treasurers, London Councils, the Local Government Association, the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation, and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.
The timetable, coverage, process for data collection and detailed terms of reference for the review will be agreed and published in due course.
Spending on council tax benefit doubled under the last Government, costing taxpayers £4 billion a year - equivalent to almost £180 a year per household. Welfare reform is vital to tackle the budget deficit by the last Adminstration.
Our reforms to localise council tax support now give councils stronger incentives to support local firms, cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people to into work. We are ending the last Administration's 'something for nothing' culture and making work pay.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 27 February 2014, Official Report, column 442W, on council tax benefits, when he expects to (a) begin and (b) publish the findings of an independent review into council tax support schemes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
I refer the rt. hon. Member to my answer of today, PQ 207596.