§ Q4. Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to visit Eastwood.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so.
§ Mr. StewartMay I assure my right hon. Friend that she will be very welcome if she decides to visit Eastwood? Is she aware that the Conservative-controlled Eastwood district council has held its rate increase to 1p, without cutting essential services? That is in marked contrast to the savage and irresponsible increases imposed on ratepayers by surrounding spendthrift Labour authorities.
§ The Prime MinisterI am grateful to my hon. Friend, and I congratulate the Eastwood district council on having regard to the capacity of its ratepayers to pay rate increases by keeping this year's increase down to 1p, in contradistinction to many Labour district councils in Scotland. Dumbarton, for example, has put up its district rate by 45 per cent. Glasgow has put up its rate by 30 per cent. Ratepayers in those areas must wish that they had Tory councils, too.