§ Mr. Cooperasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the cost in terms of rate poundage to local authorities in the United Kingdom from the increased duty in hydrocarbon oils and employers' increased contribution for National Insurance.
§ Mr. MacCollSufficient information to estimate the effect of these increases upon the expenditure of local authorities is not available. In assessing the cost as a rate poundage, account would need to be taken of consequential increases in grants and possible increases, at the discretion of authorities, in income from other sources. The sum of these factors could not be evaluated.