§ Mr. Tylerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to the Caradon district of Cornwall.
§ Mr. CroslandI have no plans to do so.
§ Mr. TylerIs the Secretary of State aware that the hardship caused to ratepayers in the district, particularly to low-income households, is such that nearly 2,000 rates rebates have already been granted and a further 2,000 are awaiting processing? Does he appreciate that many more would be elegible for help if rate rebates were extended to water charges and re-extended to sewerage charges? Will the right hon. Gentleman consider his attitude to the extension of rate rebates to those two charges, which I appreciate were removed by the previous Government?
§ Mr. CroslandThe Caradon district was treated exceptionally, both under the variable domestic relief and under my own uniform domestic relief. I entirely concede that. The point of substance about the water and sewerage rebates, however, is that they were effectively removed by the previous Government's Water Act 1973. I hope that I made it sufficiently clear in last Thursday's debate that although to restore the rebate would require new legislation it was something I had very much in mind and was proposing to discuss with the relevant authorities.