§ Dr. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what psephological studies into voting patterns in local authorities he has undertaken or commissioned or taken into account in framing proposals for rate limitation.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinIn framing our rate limitation proposals we have had regard to the fact that on average only about 22 per cent. of local authority revenue spending is financed by domestic ratepayers, and that the proportion of the electorate who actually pays rates averages about 35 per cent. There is evidence that in some areas the figures are significantly lower than these averages. There is also evidence that local elections are more heavily influenced by national rather than local issues.