Chamber
Plenary, 06 Dec 2006
06 Dec 2006 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Council Tax
I am sorry—I must make progress. The debate is so short that I do not have much time to accept interventions.
Take-up rates are still too low and we support the measures that the Department for Work and Pensions has taken to increase awareness of council tax benefit. We, too, are promoting that via central heating programme benefits health checks, by providing additional information in our "Agenda" magazine and on our website, and through groups such as the older people's consultative forum. It makes no sense for vulnerable people to struggle on when they could be entitled to extra help.
Of course, the Executive has taken significant steps to improve the lives of older people in Scotland. We have acted to tackle pensioner poverty in Scotland and, as a result, since 1999 80,000 Scottish pensioners have been lifted out of relative poverty. That represents a reduction in relative pensioner poverty of over a third. We are continuing to tackle pensioner poverty through a number of measures that are targeted specifically at our older citizens. Our central heating programme has so far provided central heating systems to more than 73,000 homes throughout Scotland. That is a great achievement in which we take some pride. Over 2004-05, the central heating programme provided predicted average annual savings on fuel bills of between £217 and £461. Our warm deal scheme has also been targeted at pensioners, and we have provided free bus travel for older and disabled people. We are also providing free personal and nursing care for the elderly.
For pensioners and for all council taxpayers throughout Scotland, we have just had the lowest average council tax increase since devolution. Over the period since 1999, council tax increased by 33 per cent in Scotland compared with 59 per cent in England and 60 per cent in Wales.
For the future, we want a system of local taxation that is fair, reliable, predictable and stable. That is why we need a constructive debate and proper consideration of the best available evidence on where need lies and how we can tackle it. I am sure that that is the spirit in which this afternoon's discussions will take place.
I move amendment S2M-5258.3, to leave out from "the recommendations" to end and insert:
"that the Scottish Executive established the independent inquiry into local government finance consistent with the Partnership Agreement of May 2003; notes that individuals and political parties made representations to this inquiry which published its findings in November 2006, and notes that the Executive will consider the report in its entirety and will respond to the committee's findings in due course."
Take-up rates are still too low and we support the measures that the Department for Work and Pensions has taken to increase awareness of council tax benefit. We, too, are promoting that via central heating programme benefits health checks, by providing additional information in our "Agenda" magazine and on our website, and through groups such as the older people's consultative forum. It makes no sense for vulnerable people to struggle on when they could be entitled to extra help.
Of course, the Executive has taken significant steps to improve the lives of older people in Scotland. We have acted to tackle pensioner poverty in Scotland and, as a result, since 1999 80,000 Scottish pensioners have been lifted out of relative poverty. That represents a reduction in relative pensioner poverty of over a third. We are continuing to tackle pensioner poverty through a number of measures that are targeted specifically at our older citizens. Our central heating programme has so far provided central heating systems to more than 73,000 homes throughout Scotland. That is a great achievement in which we take some pride. Over 2004-05, the central heating programme provided predicted average annual savings on fuel bills of between £217 and £461. Our warm deal scheme has also been targeted at pensioners, and we have provided free bus travel for older and disabled people. We are also providing free personal and nursing care for the elderly.
For pensioners and for all council taxpayers throughout Scotland, we have just had the lowest average council tax increase since devolution. Over the period since 1999, council tax increased by 33 per cent in Scotland compared with 59 per cent in England and 60 per cent in Wales.
For the future, we want a system of local taxation that is fair, reliable, predictable and stable. That is why we need a constructive debate and proper consideration of the best available evidence on where need lies and how we can tackle it. I am sure that that is the spirit in which this afternoon's discussions will take place.
I move amendment S2M-5258.3, to leave out from "the recommendations" to end and insert:
"that the Scottish Executive established the independent inquiry into local government finance consistent with the Partnership Agreement of May 2003; notes that individuals and political parties made representations to this inquiry which published its findings in November 2006, and notes that the Executive will consider the report in its entirety and will respond to the committee's findings in due course."
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5258, in the name of Annabel Goldie, on council tax.
Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I hope that the Executive is as concerned for the plight of the council tax payer as it is for the Confederation of British Industry. Council tax in Scotland...
Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
Derek Brownlee:
Con
I would like to make progress.Today's debate could go one of two ways. It could either rapidly become an academic discussion on the various merits and proble...
Alasdair Morgan:
SNP
Is Mr Brownlee as surprised as the rest of us that, for the second Opposition finance debate in a row, no Labour minister has turned up to defend the Executi...
Derek Brownlee:
Con
I am no longer surprised by the actions of Labour ministers.There may be members who propose a local income tax to replace council tax and those who support ...
Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol):
Sol
Will the member give way on that point?
Derek Brownlee:
Con
No. I want to make progress.Let us be honest: the Burt review was set up to provide cover for a division between the coalition parties. However, it is fair t...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
He is no publisher.
Derek Brownlee:
Con
Indeed he is not. He is even reluctant to grace us with his presence, but there we go.There was one occasion when Mr McCabe made it to Parliament and on whic...
The Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Service Reform and Parliamentary Business (George Lyon):
LD
Local taxation issues have long been among the most difficult on which to reach consensus and the most controversial. Even the far-reaching and highly regard...
Tommy Sheridan:
Sol
Will the minister take an intervention?
George Lyon:
LD
I do not have much time and I would like to make progress.The Burt report presents challenges to all political parties, but it also provides a useful platfor...
Tommy Sheridan:
Sol
The minister will be aware that the report cost the Scottish taxpayer more than £350,000. Was the First Minister speaking on behalf of the Executive or the L...
George Lyon:
LD
The matter is very important and the Burt committee has done serious work on it. It behoves all the parties, if they are interested in the future of local go...
Christine Grahame:
SNP
Will the minister give way?
George Lyon:
LD
I am sorry—I must make progress. The debate is so short that I do not have much time to accept interventions.Take-up rates are still too low and we support t...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
There are moments in this chamber when one imagines that one could be in a parallel universe because of some of the remarks that are made. In response to a p...
George Lyon:
LD
I hear what Mr Swinney says. However, does he accept that we need, until the system is changed, to try to maximise the amount of benefit that pensioners rece...
Mr Swinney:
SNP
Council tax has been in existence since 1994, but only 56 per cent of pensioners claim council tax benefit. At some stage, the Executive must conclude that t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I call Bristow Muldoon to open for the Labour Party. You have four minutes.
Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab):
Lab
The issue has been debated on many occasions in the past, and I have no doubt that it will be a major plank of next year's election campaign, with each party...
Derek Brownlee:
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
I do not have time—I have only four minutes, I am afraid. The Tories' solution is a complete mirror image of the approach that Labour has been taking in gove...
Derek Brownlee:
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
No. I have very little time.It is probably just as well that the issue that every single member in the chamber would agree on, including Annabel Goldie, is t...
Mr Swinney:
SNP
Will the member give way?
Bristow Muldoon:
Lab
I have very little time, although I would like to have a longer debate with Mr Swinney on this issue.A local income tax would also damage our ability to recr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
We move to the open debate.
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I am grateful to the Tories for initiating a debate on the council tax. The need for a local government finance system that offers an alternative to the coun...