§ 31. Mr. Tim Rentonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an early statement regarding the level of local government expenditure and of the rate support grant for 1975–76.
§ 37. Mr. MacGregorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his meeting with the local authority representatives on the situation facing local authorities over rates in the next financial year.
§ Mr. OakesI would refer the hon. Members to the answer my right hon. Friend gave today to my hon. Friends the Members for Goole (Dr. Marshall) and Cannock (Mr. Roberts).
§ 40. Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representation has he received from local authority associations about the rising costs facing local authorities in 1975–76; what is his estimate of the likely effect of these rising costs upon domestic, commercial and industrial ratepayers, respectively; and what steps he intends to take to mitigate these probable increases in rate burden in 1975–76.
§ Mr. OakesMy right hon. Friend had various representations from the associations when he met them on 28th October. No estimates have been made of the effect of rising costs on different classes of ratepayers. However, he will bear very much in mind the burden on ratepayers generally before he announces the rate support grant proposals at the end of November.
§ 44. Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the likely average increase in domestic rates next year; and what steps he proposes to take to protect ratepayers.
§ Mr. OakesI would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) today.