division_name: Council Tax
motion: <p class="" pid="a.978.3/1" pwmotiontext="yes">I beg to move,</p>
  
  <p class="" pid="a.978.3/2" pwmotiontext="yes">That this House notes that council tax bills have increased by 70 per cent. under the Labour Government, with further above-inflation rises planned in the forthcoming year and after the general election; expresses concern that pensioners have been hit hardest and calls on the Government to implement the Conservative policy of an automatic council tax discount for those aged 65 and over; notes with alarm the Government's plans in any third term for a revaluation which would lead to greater inequities and new higher council tax bands; rejects Liberal Democrat plans for a local income tax, regional income tax and higher national income tax; and calls for less bureaucracy and interference from Whitehall and regional bureaucrats in local government funding and for greater transparency in the allocation of local funding for councils.</p>
  
  <p class="" pid="a.985.2/1" pwmotiontext="yes">I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question and to add instead thereof:</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="a.985.2/2" pwmotiontext="yes">"welcomes the Government's support for local government with its 33 per cent. grant increase in real terms since 1997, compared to a real terms cut of 7 per cent. in the last four years of the previous administration; notes that the increase in council tax this year is set to be the lowest in over a decade at around 4 per cent. and the second lowest since it was introduced and is less than the increase in average earnings; notes CIPFA's view that it will add less than &#163;1 a week to average council tax bills; further notes that the effect of the Opposition's policy to cut grant to councils and abolish capping would allow council tax to rise unchecked; and looks forward to the report of the Lyons inquiry into local government funding which is due by the end of this year."</p>
  
  <p pid="a.1026.2/1" pwmotiontext="yes"><i>Question put,</i> That the original words stand part of the Question:&#8212;</p>
  
  <p pid="a.1026.2/2" pwmotiontext="yes"><i>The House divided:</i> Ayes 140, Noes 322.</p>