HC Deb 11 November 1980 vol 992 cc299-300

Lords Amendment: No. 44, in page 40, line 5, after "exercised" insert "separately and".

Mr. King

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this we may take Lords amendments Nos. 45, 46 and 47.

Mr. King

By the amendments, the rate support grant arrangements will be operated separately for England and Wales. These technical amendments clarify the ways in which the arrangements separated. The transport supplementary grant can be similarly operated in England and Wales by the Minister of Transport and the Secretary of State for Wales, respectively.

Mr. Dafydd Wigley (Caernarvon)

Under the change inplemented this year, questions which would have gone to the Department of the Environment concerning the rate support grant settlement will next year be transferred to the Welsh Office. Will the diverse problems that might arise in Wales over local authority spending, and problems similar to those that were dealt with a moment ago concerning certain London boroughs, be resolved and any action taken by the Secretary of State for Wales? Will the whole package be handled by him, without any split in function?

Mr. King

Subject to the amendments being accepted, for the coming year, 1981–82, that will be so. The 1980–81 arrangements remain within the existing practice.

I apologise to the hon. Gentleman. I know that he had a bit of bad luck and found that he had slipped down the queue when he got back into the right place.

Question put and agreed to. [Special Entry]

Lords amendments Nos. 45 to 48 agreed to. [Special Entry]

Forward to