HC Deb 19 November 1947 vol 444 cc1230-2

Considered in Committee, under Standing Order No. 69 [King's Recommendation signified].

[Major MILNER in the Chair.]

Resolved: That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to amend the law relating to Exchequer grants to local authorities and grants by local authorities to other local authorities or other bodies, and the law relating to rating, valuation for rating and precepts to rating authorities and, among other things, for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act'), it is expedient— (1) To authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament of a grant in any year to the council of any county or county borough in England and Wales or of any county or large burgh in Scotland, being a county, county borough or large burgh the rateable value for which in that year, calculated in accordance with the Act, is less than the standard rateable value for that county, county borough or large burgh for that year, calculated as aforesaid; so, however, that any such grant shall not exceed the relevant fraction of the amount of the difference. In this paragraph, the expression 'the relevant fraction' means the fraction arrived at by dividing the relevant local expenditure, as defined in the Act, for the year in question by the sum of the following amounts, that is to say, the aforesaid amount of the difference and the product of a rate of one pound in the pound, calculated in accordance with the Act, for the county, county borough or large burgh for that year. (2) To authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament to the council of any county or county borough in England and Wales or of any county or large burgh in Scotland—

  1. (a) of transitional grants, calculated in accordance with the Act, for the year 1948–49 and for each of the four following years, in the circumstances laid down in the Act; so, however, that any such grant for the year 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, or 1952–53 shall not exceed four-fifths, three-fifths, two-fifths or one-fifth, respectively, of any such grant for the year 1948–49;
  2. (b) of a special grant calculated in accordance with the Act, for the year 1948–49 if any part of that year falls before the appointed day, for the purposes of Part II of the National Health Service Act, 1946, or, as the case may be, of Part II of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947.
(3) To authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament under Subsection (1) of Section fifty-three of the National Health Service Act, 1946, and under Subsection (1) of Section fifty-three of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947, to any local health authority of a sum equal to one-half of the expenditure in respect of which grants are payable under those Subsections, respectively, instead of an amount to be determined by regulations made under those Subsections, respectively. (4) To authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament—
  1. (a) of any sums required for the purpose of adjusting the grants mentioned in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Resolution by reason of any modification of the operation of the Act authorised thereunder in consequence of any alteration or combination of authorities or alteration of boundaries;
  2. (b) of the expenses of local valuation panels and local valuation courts under the Act;
  3. (c) of the remuneration of, and of the expenses incurred by, valuation officers under the Act, including the remuneration 1232 and expenses of persons employed to assist them;
  4. (d) of any compensation payable under the Act to officers or servants of the Central Valuation Committee;
  5. (e) of any expenses incurred by the Minister of Works as a consequence of the passing of the Act, including any expenses incurred by him under or by reason of any provision of the Act relating to the acquisition of premises;
  6. (f) of benefits under the Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1946, payable by virtue of any provision of the Act to a person in the Civil Service of the Crown in respect of service otherwise than to the Crown; and
  7. (g) of any administrative expenses incurred by the Minister of Health or the Secretary of State under the Act."—[Mr. Glenvil Hall.]

Resolution to be reported Tomorrow.