§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON (Shropshire, Oswestry)asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he can state the amount of the local loans sanctioned by the Local Government Board during the last financial year;whether there has been an increase or decrease in the amount as compared with the preceding year;and, whether loans have been contracted without the sanction of the Government;and, if so, to what amount?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)The total amount of the loans sanctioned by the Local Government Board to be raised by Local Authorities during the 352 year ended December 31, 1886, was£2,827,867, being a decrease of£459,054 as compared with the total amount so sanctioned during the preceding year. The Board have no information as to the amount of the local loans which were contracted during the year without the sanction of any Central Department;but it may be stated that the total amount of the specific sums which by local Acts passed during the year were authorized to be raised by Sanitary Authorities and Municipal Corporations without the sanction of any Central Department was£1,496,287.