Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to apply the referendum provisions regarding council tax rises to parish and town councils; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 5 February 2014, Official Report columns 19-21WS, in particular, the section on town and parish councils which states:

We have not determined principles for local precepting authorities in 2014-15, but we are putting on notice that we are prepared if necessary to apply the referendum thresholds to larger town and parish councils from 2015-16 onwards to provide protection for local taxpayers and extend the principle of direct democracy.