§ 9. Mr. Dixonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes convening the statutory meeting of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance in December.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy right hon. Friend hopes to arrange a meeting of the council on 14 December to announce details of the rate support grant settlement for 1984–85.
§ Mr. DixonIs it not a fact that the arbitrary spending ceilings and penalties imposed by the Government on local authorities, including my local authority of South Tyneside, which has had £2 million stolen from it in rate support grant over the past three years, have driven up rates and savaged local authority services? In view of the Secretary of State for the Environment's continuous assault on local democracy, will the hon. Gentleman undertake to make a statement to the House before he meets the council on 14 December so that right hon. and hon. Members will have the opportunity to question him on the cutting down of home helps, the closing of nursery schools and old people's homes and the stopping of meals on wheels?
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy right hon. Friend will be putting the rate support grant settlement before the House in due course in the normal way. I reject the implications of what the hon. Gentleman said. If money has been unfairly taken by anybody, it has been taken by high-spending authorities from those that are more responsible.