HC Deb 21 November 1983 vol 49 cc3-4
3. Dr. Marek

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the Welsh rate support grant report 1984–85.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

I hope to publish the Welsh rate support grant report for 1984–85 on 20 December.

Dr. Marek

If, as seems likely, local government becomes less and less like local government as practised in Western democracies and more and more like local government as practised in the Soviet Union, will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that he publishes the rate support grant details not as he did last summer, one day after we went into recess, and not as he is proposing now, probably one day before we go into recess, but at least a week before so that we may have a proper debate on the proposals? If, as he said, building houses is entirely a matter for local authorities, will he increase the capital allocations so that local authorities can build the houses?

Mr. Edwards

I answered a parliamentary question on Friday in which I set out the proposals on which I am now consulting local government, and they set out the Government's present intentions. We have a consultation process and I must complete that process. I hope that I shall be able to complete it to meet the deadline that I named. It is extremely important that we carry it through. It is also important to give the information to local authorities as early as possible—I am anxious to do that before Christmas—so as to give them a final indication of the spending position for next year.

Mr. Hooson

In making his forward plans for the coming year, will my right hon. Friend ensure that consultation takes place with the Association of Local Authorities in Wales to ensure that some of the more out of date and irrelevant factors in the formula for allocations are reviewed?

Mr. Edwards

I assure my hon. Friend, as I have assured him on previous occasions when he has asked similar questions, that these matters are kept under review. They have been reviewed during the course of consultation in the current year. Inevitably the formulae are arrived at as a compromise between the differing needs and views of various local authorities in Wales. I do not think that we have the balance too far out at the moment.

Mr. Terlezki

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, on the whole, the Welsh authorities have responded well to the rate support grant settlement, and that, should it continue, that co-operation will have a beneficial effect on industrial and ordinary ratepayers in Wales?

Mr. Edwards

I agree that Welsh local government has come close to achieving the targets that we set last year, and I hope that it will do so again this year. The fact that the majority of local authorities did so last year shows that the targets are achievable. I am sure that Welsh local government understands the need to keep down rate settlements in the interests of both industry and ratepayers.

Mr. Ioan Evans

Will the Secretary of State take into account what my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Dr. Marek) said and the representations that have been made by local authorities in Wales, namely, that the proposals in the White Paper on the future of rates are looked on by them as a great threat to local decision-making and democracy?

Mr. Edwards

I have taken note of the views of local government in Wales on this issue. I must also consider the views, expressed forcefully, of industry and ratepayers, and take note of the fact that, under the proposals. that we have just put to local government, 69 per cent. of local authority expenditure will come from the general taxpayer, not the local ratepayer.