HC Deb 11 March 1987 vol 112 cc426-7

Lords Amendment: No. 2, in page 4, line 40, leave out "Conclusive block grant calculations" and insert "Any basic block grant calculation"

12.45 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Christopher Chope)

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

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Paul Dean)

With this we are to discuss Lords amendment No. 3.

Mr. Chope

These are both technical amendments to subsections (3) and (4). They are to make it clear that, when we come to make the conclusive calculations of block grant for 1981–82 and 1982–83 for England and Wales and for 1983–84 for Wales, we can take account of education pooling adjustments in the way we were intending and in the way local authorities expect.

Mr. Straw

The Opposition are not intending to oppose the amendments—

Mr. Chope

Very gracious of you.

Mr. Straw

The Minister says from a sedentary position that that is very gracious of us, and I take that compliment in the spirit in which it was intended.

The amendments illustrate the difficulties that the Government had in drafting their way out of the legal morass or bog in which they found themselves.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords amendment No. 3 agreed to.

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