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 an estimate of the council tax forgone as a result of houses being purchased by Lancaster City Council for the Chatsworth Gardens project and remaining empty.

The Department does not collect data on the level of council tax charged to empty properties by type of owner/occupier.

Unoccupied and substantially unfurnished properties, not entitled to a statutory council tax exemption, will be charged council tax at a level set out in the billing authority determination made under Section 11A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.