§ Mr. Bakerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to reduce the increase in the rates for 1975–76 for authorities such as the City of Westminster which are estimated, in view of the increases in the Greater London Council and Inner London Education Authority precepts, to be over 50 per cent.;
(2) whether, following the increases in the Greater London Council and Inner London Education Authority precepts for 1975–76, he will take steps to protect the ratepayers of Greater London from having to pay a greater increase in rates 412W than the average increase for the country as a whole.
§ Mr. John SilkinI have no such plans. As the hon. Member must be aware, the rate support grant for 1975–76 and the increase order for 1974–75 were the most generous in history.