§ 88. Mr. Roderickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the portion of the total rateable value of the Birmingham Water Undertaking allocated to Llanwrthwl Parish has decreased twice in the past year; and why the creation of the new parishes of Ford-bridge and Chelmsley Wood in Meriden Rural District has affected the rateable value of a local authority in Wales.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineThe total rateable value of the Birmingham Corporation's water undertaking is determined in accordance with the special provisions in the General Rate Act, 1967, for rating water undertakings; this total is apportioned among the rating areas in which the works are situated. When new works are brought into operation the areas concerned share in the apportionment and the shares of the other areas are accordingly reduced. The second decrease in the rateable value allocated to Llanwrthwl Parish was caused by new works in the parishes of Fordbridge and Chelmsley Wood, and not by the creation of these parishes; the first was caused by new works elsewhere.