8. Mr. Munroasked the Secretary of of State for Scotland whether he will make an Order under Section 3(5) of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act, 1963, to reduce the percentages in Section 3(3), for the revaluation year 1966–67, thus preventing loss of equalisation grant to local authorities.
§ Mr. RossOn present in formation I do not think that an Order is justifiable, but a deputation from the local authority associations will be discussing the matter on 24th June with my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.
Mr. MunroIf the right hon. Gentleman refuses to give this dispensation, local authorities will have to put up council tents at short notice or lose part of their equalisation grant.
§ Mr. RossThe hon. Gentleman is under a false impression of how this works. If they put up rents, they lose their equalisation grant anyway. What the hon. Gentleman is asking me to do is to manipulate the formula which would assist only particular authorities who are at present getting help in this way.