HC Deb 09 November 1966 vol 735 cc1456-7
Dr. Dickson Mabon

I beg to move Amendment No. 51, in page 25, line 32, after 'may' to insert: 'after consultation with such associations of local authorities as appear to him to be concerned'.

This Amendment provides forconsultation with the local authority associations before regulations are made under paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 1. This paragraph deals with what is generally termed pooled expenditure, namely expenditure on specified purposes which is reimbursed in full to the local authorities concerned, and taken out of the agregate of rate support grant.

Amendment agreed to.

Dr. Dickson Mabon

I beg to move Amendment No. 53, in page 27, line 2, to leave out from 'be' to the end of line 6 and to insert: 'determined in the manner provided by regulations made by the Secretary of State after consultation with such associations of local authorities as appear to him to be concerned. Any statutory instrument containing regulations made under this paragraph shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament'.

This Amendment provides for the method of distributing the domestic element of rate support grant to be specified in regulations. The Bill at present specifies that the distribution is to be in proportion to the amount of rate reductions given to domestic ratepayers, but the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants have pointed out that this may be difficult, especially in the first year, when the full amount of the rate reductions may not be known for some time. They have suggested that the distribution should be in proportion to the domestic rateable values of the different local authorities. This comes to much the same thing in the end but can be calculated earlier in the year.

To allow flexibility in the distribution formula, as in other aspects of the rate support grant distribution, it is now proposed to leave the matter to regulations made after consulting the local authority associations. I commend this procedure to the House.

Mr. G. Campbell

We were interested in whether the formula had been dropped by the Amendment. It seems that flexibility has been introduced, and it looks as though the House will have more opportunity of discussing the question from time to time. We therefore approve of the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.