{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberConstituency=Makerfield&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberConstituency=Makerfield&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberConstituency=Makerfield&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false&_metadata=all", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&tablingMemberConstituency=Makerfield&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberConstituency=Makerfield&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberConstituency=Makerfield&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government&answer.isMinisterialCorrection=false", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1251770", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1251770/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The cumulative total of council tax owed as at 31 March 2020 was £3.6 billion. This was an increase of £345 million on the previous year. In 2019-20, councils collected 96.8 per cent of the council tax due that year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-16T17:24:23.49Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Council Tax: Arrears"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "What estimate he has made of the amount owed to local authorities in council tax arrears.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4034", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Yvonne Fovargue"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Makerfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Yvonne Fovargue"} ], "uin" : "908802"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1250849", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1250849/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The £500 million Hardship Fund has been made available to councils in England to provide support to economically vulnerable people and households, including through reductions in council tax to recipients of working age local council tax support. The management of those allocations is a matter for local councils.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-16T17:08:06.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-11-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Covid-19 Hardship Fund"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much of the Hardship Fund allocated to local authorities was spent between March and October 2020; and what proportion of that fund was spent over that time period.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4034", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Yvonne Fovargue"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Makerfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Yvonne Fovargue"} ], "uin" : "114152"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1248416", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1248416/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The £500 million Hardship Fund has been made available to councils in England to provide support to economically vulnerable people and households, including through reductions in council tax to recipients of working age local council tax support. The management of those allocations is a matter for local councils.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-09T13:45:26.04Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Covid-19 Hardship Fund"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much of the £500 million allocated from the Hardship Fund was spent in England and Wales between March and October 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4034", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Yvonne Fovargue"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Makerfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Yvonne Fovargue"} ], "uin" : "110792"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1224533", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1224533/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Local authorities are responsible for the collection of council tax. Anyone who is concerned about falling behind with their council tax payments should contact their council as soon as possible to discuss the support available. Guidance issued by my Department makes clear that councils should be willing to take account of individuals\u2019 circumstances, and agree affordable and sustainable payment plans to ensure debts are paid off in a reasonable time. Councils will also be able to advise on eligibility for a reduced bill, for example through their local council tax support schemes and any additional help from the £500 million council tax hardship fund. This is part of the Government's response to COVID-19 and enables councils to provide further reductions in bills for economically vulnerable households.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4655", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Simon Clarke"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-07-20T16:31:42.887Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Council Tax: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect households who cannot pay council tax as a result of covid-19 related financial hardship from the re-imposition of bailiff visits on 23 August 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4034", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Yvonne Fovargue"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Makerfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Yvonne Fovargue"} ], "uin" : "73805"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1224534", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1224534/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department\u2019s guidance on council tax collection makes clear that local authorities should take all reasonable steps to exhaust the options available to them prior to beginning enforcement action. This includes taking the individual circumstances of each billpayer into account, and agreeing an approach for dealing with vulnerable residents. Authorities should also signpost the availability of free to use debt advisers, and work with advisers to ensure that an affordable and sustainable payment plan is agreed, preventing the need for enforcement action. If enforcement action is considered appropriate after those checks, the guidance is clear that authorities should explore options such as deductions from benefits or an attachment of earnings order, prior to engaging enforcement agents.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4655", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Simon Clarke"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-07-20T16:50:59.163Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Council Tax: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to introduce a statutory pre-action protocol to protect households who cannot pay council tax as a result of covid-19 related financial hardship from the re-imposition of bailiff visits on 23 August 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4034", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Yvonne Fovargue"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Makerfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Yvonne Fovargue"} ], "uin" : "73806"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131230", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131230/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "