HC Deb 15 October 1975 vol 897 cc703-4W
32. Mr. Tomlinson

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the report of the Lay- field Committee.

Mr. Oakes

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall).

34. Mr. MacGregor

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further consultations he has had with the consultative council or local authorities generally on the application of cash limits to local authority expenditure.

Mr. Crosland

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant).

46. Mr. David Price

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the decision of the local authorities to grant a full £6 a week increase to all their employees, what advice he is now offering local authorities in respect of cash limits on their expenditure and in respect of the probable rate burden in 1976–77.

Mr. John Silkin

The Government have not yet taken a decision on cash limits on local authority expenditure. I have not given any advice to authorities about cash limits and possible rate burdens.

Mr. MacGregor

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the increase in pence per pound on the rates for next year resulting from the £6 a week award to local authority manual workers on the assumption that this is not reflected in the rate support grant; and what would be the similar increase in pence per pound on the rates if all local authority employees receive the full £6 per week following the precedent set by the manual workers' agreement.

Mr. John Silkin

The £6 per week increase awarded to local authority manual workers is estimated to cost £205 million in a full year. If this total was distributed between every local authority in England and Wales pro rata to their rateable values, it would represent the equivalent of about a 3p rate. A similar award to all local authority employees including teachers and the police would require a rate of about 9½ p.