There are nine categories of authority in the answer, and the House usually is not happy when long lists are read out.

My hon. Friend is right. The average rate increase of the metropolitan counties is well above that for the country as a whole. My hon. Friend will find various other factors that will interest him. Analysis will show that if one has the misfortune to be in a Labour county one is likely to have an above average rate: if one has the misfortune to be in a Labour district one is likely to have an above average rate; and if one has the misfortune to be in both one will pay well above the average rate.