Mr. John David Taylorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the percentage increase in rates for each of the past five years decided by (a) Coventry city council and (b) Humberside county council.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe information is as follows:
(a) (b) Increases in Coventry City Local Rate poundage per cent. Increases in Humberside County Precept poundage per cent. 1978–79—1979–80 4.4 *22.2 1979–80—1980–81 24.7 31.2 1980–81—1981–82 †46.3 †‡5.9 1981–82—1982–83 8.7 †43.0 1982–83—1983–84 nil 3.9 * The increase between 1978–79 and 1979–80 is distorted by the change in the distribution of the needs element of RSG in non-metropolitan areas. In 1978–79 all was paid to the counties, whereas in 1979–80 a proportion of the total was paid to the districts. † The increase between 1980–81 and 1981–82 is significantly distorted by the change in the distribution of RSG arising from the replacement of needs and resources elements by block grant. Coventry, as a metropolitan district, received both needs and resources elements in respect of the district and the county. Humberside, as a non-metropolitan county, only received needs element; resource element was paid to its districts. Under the block grant system, Coventry and Humberside are each paid its own entitlement to grant. ‡The 1981–82 precept underlying this percentage change includes the 12p supplementary rate levied during the year.