§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the difficulty facing hoteliers who wish to avoid passing on rate increases in the form of higher prices, in particular since competition from package tours makes it commercially dangerous to increase such charges, he will consider proposing a form of subsidy to hotels in areas which have sustained high rate increases.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantNo. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment said on 5th March in reply to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) the Government have already undertaken to give more grant to local authorities than ever before in order to moderate the average rate increases.—[Vol. 852, c.19–20.]