§ Mr. J. H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost to public funds in each of the last five years and in total on local government offices and buildings in South Yorkshire, and, in particular, when the recommendations of the White Paper on local government are implemented, the area which will fall in the Sheffield metropolitan area; and what estimates he has made of the future use of these buildings.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineThe only information in my possession relates to the amounts of loans sanctioned by my Department for work on municipal offices and council chambers. In the area of the proposed South Yorkshire Metropolitan County, these were as follows:
£ 1966–67 … … 12,067 1967–68 … … 94,375 1968–69 … … 5,750 1969–70 … … 9,189 1970–71 (to date) … … 17,700 Total … … 139,081 The future use of the buildings concerned will be a matter for the successor councils in the reorganised local government structure.