Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he is to hold with local authorities with a view to limiting rate increases in 1973.
§ Mr. Graham PageMy right hon. and learned Friend, together with the Secretary of State for Education and Science and other Ministers, met representatives of the local authority associations and the Greater London Council on 17th November. It was agreed that the Government and local authorities must work together to ensure that essential local services can be maintained at a reasonable cost to the ratepayer. The Government for their part agreed to bear a higher proportion of expenditure than ever before and the local authorities accepted the need to continue to exercise restraint on their expenditure and on the level of rates they fix for next year. This joint action aims at keeping the average rise of rates to a level compatible with the Government's prices and incomes34W policies, although it is recognised that local variations will be inevitable. A rate support grant order, together with a report by the Secretary of State, will be laid shortly.