§ 11. Sir Anthony Meyerasked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from local authorities in Wales on his proposals for controlling the level of rates.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI have received representations from 18 local authorities in Wales, the two Welsh local authority associations, and the National Association of Local Councils, which represents some of the community councils in Wales. They all oppose the Government's proposals for limiting rate increases.
§ Sir Anthony MeyerDoes my right hon. Friend accept that there will be general support in Wales for efforts to limit the ever-mounting rate burden? Will he continue his consultations with local authorities to endeavour to amend these proposals to ensure that they do not penalise those local authorities that have done their best to contain local expenditure but have found themselves committed in some respects to higher expenditure because that was not fully provided for in the White Paper?
§ Mr. EdwardsI hope that the proposed legislation to control rates will not have to be applied in Wales. We should be able to avoid that measure if Welsh local authorities continue to act responsibly and keep down their rate increases. I have now started the process of consultations with the local authorities on the specific proposals for the settlement in the coming financial year. During that period of consultation I shall be listening carefully to local authorities.
§ Mr. Roy HughesWill the Secretary of State give careful consideration to the letter that he has received from Mr. M. H. Phillips, the secretary of the Welsh Counties Committee, who expressed his profound concern about the rate limitation proposals in the Government's White Paper, which he feels is the most serious threat that local government and democracy have faced for a long time? Will he try to talk some sense into his monetarist Cabinet colleagues to see whether they will have second thoughts?
§ Mr. EdwardsI always give the most careful consideration to letters that I receive from Mr. Phillips, and from those who have to shoulder the rate burden.