The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007

Statutory Instruments

2007 No. 26

social Security

The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007

Made

9th January 2007

Laid before Parliament

15th January 2007

Coming into force in accordance with article 1

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 8 and 9 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000(1) and sections 140B, 140C(1), (1A) and (4), 140F(2) and 189(1), (4), (5) and (7) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992(2).

In accordance with section 8(3) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 he considers that the authorisation of the use of electronic communications by this Order for any purpose is such that the extent (if any) to which records of things done for that purpose that will be available will be no less satisfactory in cases where use is made of electronic communications than in other cases.

In accordance with section 189(8) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 he has sought the consent of the Treasury(3).

In accordance with section 176(1) of that Act he has consulted with organisations appearing to him to be representative of the authorities concerned(4).

Citation, commencement, effect and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Electronic Communications) Order 2007 and shall come into force on 5th February 2007.

(2) Article 4(2) shall have effect from 1st April 2004.

(3) Articles 2(4)(b), 3 and 4(1) shall have effect from 1st April 2005.

(4) Article 4(3) shall have effect from 1st April 2006.

(5) In this Order, “the principal Order” means the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998(5).

Amendment of Part II of the principal Order

2.—(1) Part II of the principal Order (claims for and payment of subsidy) shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraphs.

(2) In article 2 (interpretation of Parts II and IV) after the definition of “claim form”, insert—

““electronic communication” has the same meaning as in section 15(1) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000”;

(3) After article 3 (conditions for payment of subsidy), insert—

“Electronic communications

3A.— (1) The Secretary of State, an authority or auditor may use an electronic communication in connection with any claim, audit or payment of subsidy provided it is made in accordance with the provisions set out in Part 2 of Schedule 6.

(2) Any reference to an electronic communication in this Order means an electronic communication made in accordance with those provisions.

(3) Schedule 6 makes further provisions relating to electronic communications.”.

(4) In article 4 (requirement of claim)—

(a) in paragraphs (2) and (4) after the words “on the form supplied by him to that authority”, insert “or by means of an electronic communication”;

(b) in paragraphs (2)(c) and (3) for “30th June” substitute “31st May”;

(c) in paragraph (3) before the words “The final claim”, insert “Except where an authority submits a claim by means of an electronic communication,”;

(d) omit paragraph (4A);

(e) in paragraph (4B) after the words “on such form as is supplied by him or them”, insert “or by means of an electronic communication”; and

(f) in paragraph (5) after the words “shall be signed”, insert “or submitted by means of an electronic communication”.

(5) In article 5 (requirement to keep records and provide information)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (1)(a) after “paragraph (2)”, insert “in written or electronic form”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (1)(b) after the words “produce records”, insert “in written or electronic form”; and

(c) in sub-paragraph (2)(a) for “full, accurate and properly calculated”, substitute “fairly stated and in accordance with the relevant articles of this Order”.

(6) In article 6 (requirement of audit)—

(a) in paragraph (1)(ia) after the words “is submitted to the Secretary of State”, insert “in written or electronic form”;

(b) in paragraph (2)(a) after the words “such information”, insert “in written or electronic form”;

(c) for sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (2) and the words following that paragraph substitute—

“(b) keep, and where asked to do so, produce records in written or electronic form with a bearing on its claim,

as may be required by the auditor or as may be otherwise required to enable that authority to show and its auditor to check, that that claim is fairly stated and in accordance with the relevant articles of this Order.”; and

(d) for paragraph (3) substitute—

“(3) No final subsidy shall be paid until the authority’s auditor has certified on the claim for or by means of an electronic communication that the final claim is fairly stated and in accordance with the relevant articles of this Order.”.

Amendment of Part III of the principal Order

3.—(1) Omit article 18(5)(a) of the principal Order (additions to subsidy).

(2) Omit article 23(2) of the principal Order (transitional provisions in relation to rent officer determinations).

Amendment of the Schedules to the principal Order

4.—(1) For Schedule 1 to the principal Order (sums to be used in the calculation of subsidy) substitute as Schedule 1 the Schedule set out in Schedule 1 to this Order.

(2) In Schedule 4 to the principal Order (high rents and rent allowances)—

(a) in paragraphs 7, 8(3), 9(2) to (5) and 11 of Part 2 (rent officers’ determinations); and

(b) in paragraph 15 of Part 3 (reckonable rent cases),

for “95 per cent”, substitute “100 per cent”.

(3) In Schedule 4A to the principal Order (rent rebate limitation deductions (housing revenue account dwellings))—

(a) in paragraph 2(4) (liability to deduction)—

(i) in step 1 and 2 for “service charges were imposed” substitute “rent was charged”; and

(ii) in step 4 for “new service charges were imposed” substitute “rent was charged”

(b) after paragraph 2(7), insert—

“(8) For the purposes of calculating the total number of weeks for which rent is charged in sub-paragraphs (3) and (4) rent free periods shall be included.”;

(c) in the table in Part 3 (weekly rent limits for purposes of Part 2: authorities in England), in the entry relating to Dover for “£61.53”, substitute “£63.05”.

(4) After Schedule 4A to the principal Order insert as Schedule 6 the Schedule set out in Schedule 2 to this Order.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

James Plaskitt

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Department for Work and Pensions

8th January 2007

We consent

Claire Ward

Dave Watts

Two of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury

9th January 2007

Article 3

SCHEDULE 1 SCHEDULE TO BE SUBSTITUTED FOR SCHEDULE 1 TO THE PRINCIPAL ORDER

Articles 12(1)(b)and 17(1) and (8)

“SCHEDULE 1 SUMS TO BE USED IN THE CALCULATION OF SUBSIDY

	Administration subsidy	Non-HRA Rent Rebates
		Threshold	Cap
England	(£)	(£)	(£)
Adur	541,150	117.63	203.30
Allerdale	820,662	94.42	162.87
Alnwick	187,588	81.85	141.83
Amber Valley	2,177,537	94.89	163.87
Arun	801,040	123.12	212.38
Ashfield	694,574	89.10	153.87
Ashford	544,777	116.91	201.88
Aylesbury Vale	553,713	113.05	195.67
Babergh	391,953	108.20	186.83
Barking and Dagenham	3,467,516	223.51	346.99
Barnet	2,459,834	223.51	346.99
Barnsley	1,679,991	79.15	137.65
Barrow in Furness	576,998	98.76	170.54
Basildon	1,197,999	114.95	198.50
Basingstoke and Deane	719,350	117.07	201.95
Bassetlaw	630,003	99.33	171.53
Bath & North East Somerset	1,112,332	100.71	173.73
Bedford	962,281	93.24	161.42
Berwick upon Tweed	184,582	88.60	152.98
Bexley	1,362,860	223.51	346.99
Birmingham	10,721,429	95.47	165.32
Blaby	295,933	85.08	147.23
Blackburn with Darwen	1,550,729	108.94	187.92
Blackpool	2,142,732	90.73	160.83
Blyth Valley	604,122	75.02	129.88
Bolsover	639,470	77.36	136.39
Bolton	2,657,289	81.72	142.4
Boston	411,275	85.21	147.31
Bournemouth	1,474,200	102.41	187.95
Bracknell Forest	493,431	127.2	223.22
Bradford	4,201,293	86.20	158.19
Braintree	670,747	104.64	180.69
Breckland	960,122	107.01	185.25
Brent	3,652,904	223.51	366.97
Brentwood	388,832	118.62	204.84
Bridgnorth	304,791	96.45	167.79
Brighton and Hove	2,451,490	105.84	203.09
Bristol	3,016,186	93.23	180.00
Broadland	564,628	107.01	185.25
Bromley	1,833,635	223.51	346.99
Bromsgrove	599,819	99.45	179.46
Broxbourne	416,427	126.48	218.41
Broxtowe	1,083,155	81.36	141.69
Burnley	963,316	96.75	166.89
Bury	1,259,114	94.23	162.72
Calderdale	1,471,710	83.75	144.71
Cambridge	614,340	111.41	192.38
Camden	3,367,912	223.51	365.30
Cannock Chase	518,977	99.89	178.38
Canterbury	879,676	112.34	193.97
Caradon	455,141	94.69	163.51
Carlisle	908,624	92.14	159.10
Carrick	546,892	107.83	186.20
Castle Morpeth	202,845	88.89	153.50
Castle Point	673,294	122.30	211.18
Charnwood	584,764	85.61	147.85
Chelmsford	796,312	119.70	207.46
Cheltenham	601,259	121.58	209.93
Cherwell	633,201	117.87	203.82
Chester	847,625	89.00	153.52
Chester le Street	499,581	82.28	142.53
Chesterfield	794,632	81.69	141.06
Chichester	642,039	118.48	204.37
Chiltern	376,484	117.07	201.95
Chorley	481,619	83.82	145.54
Christchurch	264,923	100.71	184.64
City of London	102,295	223.51	346.99
Colchester	804,419	110.25	191.93
Congleton	387,214	94.42	162.87
Copeland	958,391	88.71	164.58
Corby	329,919	91.42	163.13
Cotswold	558,760	100.71	173.73
Coventry	2,977,295	81.21	155.64
Craven	250,835	100.12	172.89
Crawley	563,744	126.74	219.64
Crewe and Nantwich	715,779	99.90	179.69
Croydon	3,439,965	223.51	360.44
Dacorum	741,450	110.97	194.04
Darlington	787,433	86.96	150.16
Dartford	700,602	114.85	198.32
Daventry	242,633	91.32	157.69
Derby	1,907,939	90.19	155.76
Derbyshire Dales	309,095	91.57	158.47
Derwentside	1,047,550	89.71	154.91
Doncaster	2,029,010	82.28	144.48
Dover	870,579	116.94	201.93
Dudley	2,201,242	95.78	167.82
Durham	713,680	84.71	148.23
Ealing	2,370,849	223.51	351.19
Easington	952,559	87.21	150.59
East Cambridgeshire	363,667	107.01	185.25
East Devon	549,226	91.41	167.75
East Dorset	391,512	100.71	184.64
East Hampshire	500,372	117.07	201.95
East Hertfordshire	508,022	127.90	221.65
East Lindsey	957,002	87.82	151.81
East Northamptonshire	412,822	98.10	169.60
East Riding of Yorkshire	1,651,981	87.66	155.41
East Staffordshire	746,426	85.52	147.52
Eastbourne	929,671	105.32	193.31
Eastleigh	497,202	117.07	201.95
Eden	216,951	94.42	162.87
Ellesmere Port and Neston	681,717	73.57	145.96
Elmbridge	683,799	133.53	230.32
Enfield	2,962,511	223.51	346.99
Epping Forest	574,529	113.34	196.26
Epsom and Ewell	239,878	117.07	201.95
Erewash	606,111	83.97	145.31
Exeter	793,266	88.54	162.50
Fareham	315,483	110.95	195.45
Fenland	548,408	100.56	173.66
Forest Heath	213,305	99.04	171.03
Forest of Dean	705,851	96.52	166.67
Fylde	373,689	82.51	142.31
Gateshead	4,151,653	87.29	150.74
Gedling	550,834	83.14	144.18
Gloucester	720,049	105.41	182.02
Gosport	418,312	108.81	187.90
Gravesham	916,856	111.04	191.76
Great Yarmouth	1,267,467	83.55	153.34
Greenwich	3,455,031	223.51	346.99
Guildford	508,357	134.07	231.52
Hackney	4,098,097	223.51	347.48
Halton	1,405,420	86.83	155.33
Hambleton	535,304	83.08	152.54
Hammersmith and Fulham	2,405,655	223.51	346.99
Harborough	428,222	103.09	178.01
Haringey	2,767,088	223.51	346.99
Harlow	579,851	109.42	188.94
Harrogate	585,388	106.57	184.04
Harrow	1,307,876	223.51	381.29
Hart	513,841	117.07	201.95
Hartlepool	1,182,656	90.16	155.69
Hastings	1,018,078	117.07	201.95
Havant	642,013	117.07	201.95
Havering	1,249,238	223.51	346.99
Herefordshire	1,117,571	89.64	154.80
Hertsmere	530,671	107.01	185.25
High Peak	449,673	96.94	167.39
Hillingdon	1,591,178	223.51	383.39
Hinckley and Bosworth	356,258	93.60	161.64
Horsham	703,607	138.41	238.74
Hounslow	1,569,795	223.51	346.99
Huntingdonshire	725,955	115.92	200.68
Hyndburn	656,521	93.45	161.20
Ipswich	929,602	99.72	172.19
Isle of Wight	1,076,317	117.07	201.95
Isles of Scilly	7,951	104.08	179.73
Islington	3,485,205	223.51	359.52
Kennet	359,786	100.71	173.73
Kensington and Chelsea	2,158,521	223.51	396.15
Kerrier	810,317	100.71	173.73
Kettering	404,257	90.21	157.06
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk	1,024,778	87.62	159.42
Kingston upon Hull	3,087,282	90.63	162.38
Kingston upon Thames	695,047	223.51	372.60
Kirklees	2,566,641	91.86	158.64
Knowsley	2,069,706	102.02	176.17
Lambeth	4,509,682	223.51	346.99
Lancaster	902,217	90.85	156.87
Leeds	6,087,011	83.41	153.46
Leicester	3,156,743	92.52	159.61
Lewes	492,190	113.59	197.50
Lewisham	4,044,602	223.51	346.99
Lichfield	606,649	92.82	160.12
Lincoln	796,442	87.56	151.20
Liverpool	6,165,922	93.12	160.83
Luton	1,292,893	114.55	197.81
Macclesfield	645,726	103.10	193.20
Maidstone	762,416	116.30	200.82
Maldon	306,138	107.01	185.25
Malvern Hills	464,980	92.82	160.12
Manchester	5,994,281	109.17	188.51
Mansfield	739,362	93.71	161.65
Medway	1,576,395	114.85	198.32
Melton	159,782	84.14	149.23
Mendip	769,027	99.23	171.18
Merton	1,048,254	223.51	346.99
Mid Bedfordshire	665,055	106.32	184.26
Mid Devon	367,375	94.27	162.80
Mid Suffolk	307,758	100.56	173.66
Mid Sussex	1,442,432	117.07	201.95
Middlesbrough	1,540,524	98.66	170.37
Milton Keynes	1,229,471	114.35	198.30
Mole Valley	278,432	113.82	196.54
New Forest	726,720	126.10	217.76
Newark and Sherwood	555,099	87.56	151.19
Newcastle under Lyme	755,700	78.70	150.86
Newcastle upon Tyne	3,540,011	85.76	148.09
Newham	3,270,945	223.51	346.99
North Cornwall	785,134	95.06	164.14
North Devon	761,263	109.95	189.66
North Dorset	442,945	100.71	173.73
North East Derby	555,051	79.87	141.45
North East Lincoln	1,425,452	85.81	153.36
North Hertfordshire	804,148	115.06	204.65
North Kesteven	477,640	87.53	151.13
North Lincolnshire	1,017,814	83.07	143.97
North Norfolk	694,904	92.45	159.84
North Shropshire	279,310	86.90	151.02
North Somerset	1,113,123	115.92	200.17
North Tyneside	1,964,942	80.25	139.34
North Warwickshire	437,768	91.58	160.70
North West Leicestershire	372,649	86.63	149.59
North Wiltshire	623,597	100.71	173.73
Northampton	2,002,351	113.90	196.67
Norwich	1,147,991	90.26	156.40
Nottingham	2,783,167	83.96	144.99
Nuneaton and Bedworth	822,002	88.81	154.92
Oadby and Wigston	286,631	85.39	148.27
Oldham	1,908,799	83.75	153.13
Oswestry	187,813	89.56	154.65
Oxford	866,910	122.71	213.93
Pendle	753,190	87.23	150.64
Penwith	812,198	94.58	173.40
Peterborough	1,499,900	114.08	197.00
Plymouth	2,452,020	92.07	158.97
Poole	1,072,501	104.52	191.62
Portsmouth	1,561,051	111.09	191.81
Preston	984,115	94.99	164.01
Purbeck	216,233	116.19	200.62
Reading	1,238,833	135.67	234.27
Redbridge	1,493,193	223.51	352.76
Redcar and Cleveland	1,486,136	94.34	162.90
Redditch	571,209	100.51	173.57
Reigate and Banstead	513,075	131.92	227.79
Restormel	927,144	108.16	186.57
Ribble Valley	160,730	81.96	141.52
Richmond upon Thames	971,006	223.51	346.99
Richmondshire	179,836	97.21	167.85
Rochdale	3,608,972	87.10	150.41
Rochford	353,263	103.82	179.26
Rossendale	570,634	88.21	152.16
Rother	655,384	117.07	201.95
Rotherham	1,793,414	73.64	132.52
Rugby	542,118	94.15	163.62
Runnymede	312,692	138.57	239.29
Rushcliffe	364,891	96.48	168.17
Rushmoor	421,480	117.07	201.95
Rutland	101,833	102.90	177.70
Ryedale	364,478	83.08	152.54
Salford	2,769,586	96.36	166.39
Salisbury	481,187	121.97	216.09
Sandwell	2,939,378	103.71	180.64
Scarborough	1,061,827	98.94	170.84
Sedgefield	892,905	85.26	147.64
Sedgemoor	578,007	106.66	184.18
Sefton	2,523,338	98.01	169.49
Selby	550,697	92.79	160.24
Sevenoaks	684,206	117.07	201.95
Sheffield	4,342,187	83.75	144.74
Shepway	753,323	107.33	185.33
Shrewsbury and Atcham	655,452	95.11	164.24
Slough	869,970	122.26	213.37
Solihull	963,097	99.57	171.94
South Bedfordshire	489,805	119.67	207.86
South Bucks	715,344	117.07	201.95
South Cambridgeshire	408,947	119.89	207.03
South Derbyshire	353,337	94.21	162.67
South Gloucestershire	2,774,785	102.68	180.81
South Hams	786,066	100.71	173.73
South Holland	575,231	89.35	154.30
South Kesteven	514,260	92.28	161.34
South Lakeland	453,490	106.13	188.71
South Norfolk	573,411	97.21	167.85
South Northamptonshire	201,640	106.08	184.62
South Oxfordshire	535,396	117.07	201.95
South Ribble	655,774	94.42	162.87
South Shropshire	236,887	92.82	160.12
South Somerset	820,781	100.71	173.73
South Staffordshire	744,790	92.82	160.12
South Tyneside	1,868,061	78.12	136.67
Southampton	1,772,938	98.03	188.07
Southend on Sea	1,451,034	106.44	183.80
Southwark	5,314,651	223.51	346.99
Spelthorne	446,961	117.07	201.95
St Albans	537,738	118.06	205.35
St Edmundsbury	524,174	106.04	183.78
St Helens	1,706,323	100.64	173.78
Stafford	681,083	92.82	160.12
Staffordshire Moorlands	459,312	90.27	155.71
Stevenage	566,404	116.92	201.89
Stockport	1,508,996	85.47	164.34
Stockton on Tees	1,303,882	89.51	155.97
Stoke on Trent	2,999,929	89.33	154.24
Stratford on Avon	575,445	92.82	160.12
Stroud	617,771	107.03	184.81
Suffolk Coastal	593,364	97.13	168.14
Sunderland	4,104,354	97.04	167.40
Surrey Heath	246,977	117.07	201.95
Sutton	937,379	223.51	346.99
Swale	988,384	117.07	201.95
Swindon	891,670	95.38	166.55
Tameside	1,983,153	99.17	171.06
Tamworth	391,561	97.36	169.29
Tandridge	250,169	116.83	203.44
Taunton Deane	785,620	94.94	163.94
Teesdale	141,953	87.05	150.31
Teignbridge	904,466	112.26	193.86
Telford and Wrekin	1,252,063	92.82	160.12
Tendring	1,052,313	98.00	179.86
Test Valley	472,663	113.80	196.29
Tewkesbury	351,544	92.87	160.20
Thanet	1,560,632	106.35	183.64
Three Rivers	348,065	120.56	209.77
Thurrock	910,565	113.49	195.95
Tonbridge and Malling	605,472	117.07	201.95
Torbay	1,319,475	103.66	178.81
Torridge	463,075	102.57	177.11
Tower Hamlets	4,313,752	223.51	374.38
Trafford	1,304,835	95.94	165.66
Tunbridge Wells	655,838	117.07	201.95
Tynedale	356,005	93.57	161.41
Uttlesford	283,576	117.32	202.66
Vale of White Horse	446,705	117.07	201.95
Vale Royal	1,056,871	94.94	163.95
Wakefield	2,009,095	83.83	156.34
Walsall	2,722,971	95.48	164.89
Waltham Forest	2,188,169	223.51	367.87
Wandsworth	2,402,306	223.51	390.57
Wansbeck	490,155	74.07	127.90
Warrington	1,265,550	95.33	164.61
Warwick	659,071	101.13	176.96
Watford	480,458	117.41	202.72
Waveney	1,015,793	92.30	159.38
Waverley	429,795	127.22	219.45
Wealden	557,215	99.81	191.49
Wear Valley	629,981	86.22	148.87
Wellingborough	361,833	93.99	162.29
Welwyn Hatfield	535,731	110.25	193.38
West Berkshire	905,001	117.07	201.95
West Devon	265,001	100.71	173.73
West Dorset	546,291	100.71	173.73
West Lancashire	934,290	89.13	155.22
West Lindsey	491,595	86.71	149.91
West Oxfordshire	420,810	112.22	193.59
West Somerset	283,361	100.71	173.73
West Wiltshire	658,210	115.04	198.44
Westminster	2,260,565	223.51	428.82
Weymouth and Portland	613,230	104.29	179.90
Wigan	2,162,909	89.41	154.39
Winchester	399,158	117.53	202.95
Windsor and Maidenhead	768,568	117.07	201.95
Wirral	2,975,390	104.37	180.21
Woking	346,099	151.4	261.45
Wokingham	305,817	118.29	210.01
Wolverhampton	2,283,266	86.71	160.13
Worcester	592,374	89.41	156.05
Worthing	610,368	117.07	201.95
Wychavon	654,519	116.85	201.54
Wycombe	630,922	134.52	232.29
Wyre	785,444	94.80	163.52
Wyre Forest	798,083	96.56	166.56
York	802,154	98.23	169.61
Wales
Blaenau Gwent	799,019	91.65	158.24
Bridgend	988,768	93.01	160.62
Caerphilly	1,250,336	98.31	169.76
Cardiff	2,228,733	103.42	179.59
Carmarthenshire	1,180,478	89.75	154.98
Ceredigion	379,744	98.37	169.86
Conwy	1,792,884	86.52	156.20
Denbighshire	630,626	84.15	146.72
Flintshire	797,706	89.49	154.73
Gwynedd	753,834	89.13	153.90
Isle of Anglesey	669,910	87.88	151.74
Merthyr Tydfil	817,642	89.17	153.98
Monmouthshire	475,585	103.25	179.51
Neath Port Talbot	1,124,438	90.39	156.09
Newport	1,012,024	97.89	171.18
Pembrokeshire	851,138	87.86	151.70
Powys	725,790	92.14	159.35
Rhondda Cynon Taff	1,987,547	87.70	151.44
Swansea	1,737,342	93.70	161.81
Torfaen	627,677	101.74	177.30
Vale of Glamorgan	807,675	105.59	182.34
Wrexham	891,479	83.92	145.37
Scotland
Aberdeen	1,488,421	79.65	139.02
Aberdeenshire	1,162,226	75.09	133.40
Angus	932,799	70.27	126.75
Argyll and Bute	606,884	85.63	147.88
Clackmannanshire	419,879	75.46	139.24
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	183,493	88.56	154.86
Dumfries and Galloway	1,315,712	80.33	141.23
Dundee	2,072,708	87.31	152.30
East Ayrshire	1,136,017	76.85	132.82
East Dunbartonshire	453,465	82.14	145.45
East Lothian	5,435,595	73.87	127.56
East Renfrewshire	354,131	78.82	144.59
Edinburgh	4,324,973	100.39	173.35
Falkirk	1,101,183	80.03	147.09
Fife	2,807,442	76.13	136.38
Glasgow	11,743,523	101.72	175.65
Highland	1,369,487	93.42	161.30
Inverclyde	922,614	95.55	170.47
Midlothian	762,226	66.98	115.67
Moray	449,823	67.74	116.96
North Ayrshire	1,390,101	71.99	127.46
North Lanarkshire	3,005,055	83.85	146.60
Orkney Islands	94,955	78.51	135.56
Perth & Kinross	734,348	71.28	123.09
Renfrewshire	1,918,068	87.13	158.90
Scottish Borders	828,671	75.83	130.93
Shetland	84,568	102.20	176.47
South Ayrshire	908,735	78.20	135.01
South Lanarkshire	2,633,563	85.82	148.19
Stirling	544,644	80.89	139.66
West Dunbartonshire	1,212,914	80.57	139.14
West Lothian	1,547,073	82.78	169.42”

Articles 4(4)

SCHEDULE 2 SCHEDULE TO BE INSERTED AS SCHEDULE 6 TO THE PRINCIPAL ORDER

Articles 3A

“SCHEDULE 6 ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

PART 1 INTERPRETATION

Interpretation

1   In this Schedule “official computer system” means a computer system maintained by or on behalf of the Secretary of State for the sending, receipt, processing or storage of any claim or return.

PART 2 ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS - GENERAL PROVISIONS

Conditions for the use of electronic communications

2.— (1) An authority or auditor must use an approved method of—

(a) electronic communication;

(b) authenticating the identity of the sender of the communication;

(c) authenticating any claim or return delivered by means of an electronic communication; and

(d) submitting to the Secretary of State any claim or return.

(2) An authority or auditor must submit any claim or return by means of an electronic communication in an approved form.

(3) Where a claim or return is submitted electronically but not in accordance with the conditions specified in this paragraph, that claim or return shall be treated as not having been submitted.

(4) In this paragraph “approved” means approved by means of a direction given by the Secretary of State.

Use of intermediaries

3   The Secretary of State may—

(a) use intermediaries in connection with the receipt, authentication or security of any claim or return delivered by means of an electronic communication; and

(b) require authorities or auditors to use intermediaries in connection with those matters.

PART 3 ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION - EVIDENTIAL PROVISIONS

Effect of delivering information by means of electronic communication

4— (1) Any claim or return which is delivered by means of an electronic communication shall be treated as having been delivered in the approved manner or form on the day the conditions imposed—

(a) by or under this Schedule; and

(b) by or under Part II of this Order

are satisfied.

(2) The Secretary of State may, by a direction, determine that any claim or return is to be treated as delivered on a different day (whether earlier or later) from the day provided for in sub-paragraph (1).

(3) A claim or return shall not be treated as delivered to an official computer system by means of an electronic communication unless it is accepted by the system to which it is delivered.

Proof of identify of sender or recipient of information

5   For the purpose of any legal proceedings, it shall be presumed that the identity of the sender or recipient, as the case may be, of any claim or return delivered by means of an electronic communication to an official computer system is the same as is recorded on that official computer system.

Proof of delivery of information

6— (1) For the purpose of any legal proceedings, it shall be presumed that—

(a) if the delivery of any claim or return has been recorded on an official computer system, the use of an electronic communication has resulted in the delivery of that claim or return to the Secretary of State;

(b) if the delivery of any claim or return submitted by means of an electronic communication to the Secretary of State has not been recorded on an official computer system, no delivery has been made;

(c) any claim or return submitted by means of an electronic communication has been received on the time and date recorded on an official computer system.

Proof of content of information

7   For the purpose of any legal proceedings, the content of any claim or return submitted by means of an electronic communication shall be presumed to be that recorded on an official computer system.”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/562) (“the principal Order”) which provides for subsidy to be payable by the Secretary of State to authorities administering housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Sections 140C(4) and 140F(2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992(c.5) authorise the making, revocation or varying of an Order before, during or after the year to which it relates. Certain amendments made by this Order shall have retrospective effect.

Article 2 amends Part II of the principal Order which is concerned with claiming and paying subsidy. A new article 3A is inserted, which authorises the Secretary of State, local authorities and auditors to use an electronic communication in connection with the claim, audit or payment of subsidy where the conditions listed in Schedule 6 of the principal Order are met. Article 2 also makes consequential amendments to other parts of Part II to clarify the audit process.

Article 3 makes a minor amendment to Part III of the principal Order.

Article 4 amends the Schedules to the principal Order. Article 4(1) substitutes the figures to be used in the calculation of subsidy which are outlined in Schedule 1 to this Order for those in Schedule 1 to the principal Order. Article 4(2) increases the subsidy paid to authorities in certain cases to 100%. Article 4(3) makes some amendments to calculation of rent rebate limitation deductions.

A regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the cost of business, charities and voluntary bodies.

(1)

2000 c.7.

(2)

1992 c.5. Sections 140B, 140C and 140F were inserted by paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 to the Housing Act 1996 (c.52). Section 140B was amended by section 10 of, and paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 to, the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 (c.47) and paragraph 36 of Schedule 7 to the Local Government Act 2003 (c.26). Section 189(1) and (4) to (6) was amended by paragraph 109 of Schedule 7 to the Social Security Act 1998 (c.14); section 189(1) was amended by paragraph 57(2) of Schedule 3 to the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c.2) and Schedule 6 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c.21); section 189(7) was amended by paragraph 24 of Schedule 9 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c.14) and paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997.

(3)

Section 189(8) was amended by paragraph 3(5) of Schedule 13 to the Housing Act 1996 and paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c.21).

(4)

Section 176(1) was amended by paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 14 to the Housing Act 1996.

(5)

S.I. 1998/562. Relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1998/2865, 1999/550, 2000/1091, 2000/2340, 2001/2350, 2002/1859, 2002/3116, 2003/3179, 2004/646, 2005/369, 2005/535, 2006/54 and 2006/559.