Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average increase in valuations being received by businesses in the Normanton constituency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesInformation for the Normanton parliamentary constituency is not available. However, the average increase in rates bills for 1995–96, after transitional relief, in the Wakefield metropolitan district is 10 per cent. Without transitional relief the average increase would have been 32 per cent. The relief is worth £11 million to ratepayers in Wakefield.