§ 49. Mr. Oramasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if, in his forthcoming consultations with representatives of local authorities, he will consider the possibility of revising the formula for determining the general grant to local authorities so as to base it upon figures for population and school children in the year prior to the grant year.
§ The Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (Mr. Henry Brooke)No, Sir. This matter was debated in 1958 during the passage of the Act; and the use of current figures was designed as a means of satisfying the just claims of the expanding areas.
§ Mr. OramIs it not the case that the difficulty of forecasting the actual grant 230 under the present formula adds yet another burden to those local authorities, like my own at East Ham, which have both a progressive education policy and a declining population? Will not the Minister reconsider his attitude on this matter?
§ Mr. BrookeNo, Sir, I do not think I can reconsider it. It is important that grants should be based on the most up-to-date figures.