§ 2. Mr. CarringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals for restoring the fixing of non-domestic rate poundages to local authority control.
§ Mr. CarringtonI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer, as are the many small businesses in Fulham that were terrified at the prospect of having their rates set by a spendthrift local council. Does my hon. Friend remember that when the Labour party took control of the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, almost its first action was to raise the borough precept by 100 per cent. and the rate poundage by 44 per cent? Does my hon. Friend agree that local businesses need to be protected from such irresponsibility?
§ Mr. RedwoodI agree, and that is just one example of profligate Labour authorities that overtax and overspend. Business needed to be protected. We want business to prosper across the country. That means keeping rates bills down. That is why I hope that the Opposition will support the legislation that we shall be introducing shortly to cut bills further.