§ Mr. Templeasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he has yet reached any conclusion about the timing of the adjustments of receipts and payments in accordance with the transitional scheme under Section 15 of the Local Government Act, 1958, in respect of the years 1959–60 and 1960–61.
Dr. HillA third estimate of gains and losses has now been made and is intended to be conclusive. After consultation with the associations of local authorities I have decided that local authorities who must make a payment by way of adjustment of contributions for those years and 1961–62 should pay either the full amount or the product of a 6d. rate, whichever is less, next year, and either the balance due from them or the product of a 6d. rate in the following year. In both cases the 6d. rate product will be as estimated for 1961–62. I propose to consult the associations again in 1963–64 about the small number of local authorities who will not have completely discharged their debt by the end of that year.
Under this arrangement local authorities who are entitled to receive money by way of adjustment for past years will get about 79 per cent. of it in 1962–63 and a further 16½ per cent. in 1963–64.