§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the rate increase for Leeds city council for 1989–90, assuming expenditure by the council at the Government's grant-related expenditure allocation level; and what is his estimate of the corresponding increase for Bradford city council on the same assumptions, based on the information contained in the rate support consultation paper for 1989–90 issued on 11 November.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 8 December 1988]: We estimate that, if Leeds city council's total expenditure for 1989–90 were to equal its GRE, and the 413W council use the same amount of balances as in 1988–89, its rate increase for 1989–90 would be 12 per cent. We estimate that for Bradford the corresponding figure would be a rate decrease of 12 per cent.