Orders of the Day — Rates Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 3:42 pm on 17 January 1984.

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Photo of Mr Patrick Jenkin Mr Patrick Jenkin , Wanstead and Woodford 3:42, 17 January 1984

I said at the outset of my speech that I understand the fears of those who dislike this legislation, not least those felt by local government itself, but it is not only on this side of the House that the excesses of some of the councils whose spending and rating behaviour are the root cause of this legislation have aroused disgust. I know that there are many in local government and many hon. Members of all parties on the Opposition Benches who deplore the way that some councils have been conducting their affairs. Some of the most responsible low-spending councils have in a sense had to pay the penalty for the excesses of the few. Because we have been unable to put a curb on those excesses, I and my predecessors have had to fix targets and hold back regimes that have made life extremely difficult for the many.

In addition, because of the overspending on current account, we have had to look for savings on capital account, something that I am sure none of us would have wished to see. If the House gives us the power in the Bill to curb the excesses of the few extravagant, irresponsible high spenders, I believe that we can look forward to restoring that traditional relationship with the vast majority of local authorities that have served this country well in the past.

In the meantime, when one has councils whose spending has risen nearly twice as fast as the average, councils whose spending exceeds GRE by as much as 20, 30 or even 50 per cent., councils whose rates have risen three or four times as fast as the cost of living, councils where the small proportion of domestic ratepayers who pay full rates are powerless to curb that headlong rush to profligacy, I say that it is the duty of the House to act. We have a duty to protect ratepayers from blatant exploitation. We have a duty to ensure that all parts of the public sector work within national economic policies. Other efforts to make these few authorities see reason have failed. That is why we seek the powers in the Bill, and I commend it to the House.