HC Deb 15 July 1981 vol 8 cc1162-3
5. Mr. David Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make additional resources available to Glasgow, as a special case, in order to reverse the present decline in its population.

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Malcolm Rifkind)

The special needs of Glasgow are already being recognised by such measures as the assistance given through the urban programme, the particular priority accorded to the GEAR project, the distribution formulae for rate support grant and housing support grant, and its special development area status where maximum financial incentives to incoming or expanding industry may be available.

Mr. Marshall

Is the Minister aware that his answer is most unsatisfactory? Does he appreciate the social consequences that will confront Glasgow? Will he agree to convene an early meeting between Glasgow district council, Strathclyde regional council and himself to tackle this problem, which cannot be solved without Government assistance, which is not forthcoming despite what the Government say because they are biased against Glasgow?

Mr. Rifkind

The suggestion that the Government are biased against Glasgow does not tally with Glasgow having 20 per cent. of local authority housing and receiving 27 per cent. of total public expenditure on housing. In the current year it will receive 42 per cent. of the SSHA budget. In the last year for which figures are available it received 49 per cent. of the Housing Corporation's budget. The needs element of rate support grant now paid to the Glasgow district council is £42 per head, which is nearly twice the average sum received by all the other district councils.

Mr. Allan Stewart

Does my hon. Friend agree that this and previous Governments have poured hundreds of millions of pounds into the East End of Glasgow, often with no obvious returns? Is it not time for a more balanced programme for the whole conurbation, with appropriate priority for areas such as Barrhead and Milton in my constituency?

Mr. Rifkind

The House generally will recognise that Glasgow's problems deserve special attention. My hon. Friend is correct in saying that we must give even greater attention to the way in which available resources have been used over the years. Enormous resources have been poured in by successive Governments, but Glasgow's problems remain acute.

Mr. Maxton

Is the Minister aware that, despite his great claims a few minutes ago, his capital allocation for Glasgow district council for the coming year will be insufficient for it to maintain its present stock of housing, which means disaster for those who live in council houses in Glasgow?

Mr. Rifkind

I have already said that Glasgow receives a substantially greater proportion of housing resources than its population merits. I do not say that in criticism, because it is a justifiable allocation. However, it reveals that any suggestion that the Government are discriminating against Glasgow is at variance with all the available facts.