§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that metropolitan councils are not disadvantaged in grant allocation as a result of the basis on which population estimates take into account unenumerated people.
§ Mr. Robin SquireWe have considered the population figures produced by the registrar general based on 1991 census results most carefully in relation to their implications for standard spending assessments and revenue support grant. We are satisfied that the methods he has employed to produce these estimates, particularly in relation to census underenumeration, are the most appropriate in the circumstances and do not therefore disadvantage metropolitan or any other class of authorities.