§ Sir Raymond Gowerasked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the average increase in rates in Wales in the coming year; and by what average amount such rates increased in each of the past four years.
§ Mr. Alec JonesAt this stage not all authorities have sent in the returns from which the average increase in the coming year can be calculated. The percentage increases in general rate poundages in the previous four years were as follows: 1975–76, 26 per cent.; 1976–77, 8 per cent.; 1977–78, 8 per cent.; 1978–79, 7 per cent.