§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they propose to take to prevent massive rate increases in London this year resulting from precepts by the Greater London Council.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Bellwin)My Lords, the GLC have now set their 1983–84 budget at £877 million, compared with the £566 million guidance figure issued by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The council have announced an increase in their precept of about 14 per cent. Had they followed my right honourable friend's advice, they would have been able to reduce their precept by a significant amount.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that disturbing and unhappy information. May I ask my noble friend whether he is aware that the action of those controlling the Greater London Council today will not only impose very severe hardship on a great many of the citizens of London but will also to a considerable measure frustrate the policies of Her Majesty's Government on incomes and prices? In those circumstances, are the Government prepared to do something about it?
§ Lord BellwinMy Lords, I am very aware of and I concur with what my noble friend has said. As to what Government do about it, he will know better than most people in your Lordships' House that that is something that one does not quickly or lightly decide upon. Today the most that I would want to say is that this causes the affairs of the authority to be under greater review than ever.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, at the risk of ruining my own Question, may I ask this further question: Is my noble friend aware that Labour councils in London have decided to spend £250,000 from public funds in an advertising campaign attacking the Government's rating policies?
§ Lord BellwinYes, my Lords, I am so aware.