§ Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the funds made specially available for crofters' wools are now exhausted.
§ Mr. William RossNo funds have been made available for this purpose from Exchequer sources.
212W
§ Mr. William RossIt is not possible to relate rates to the servicing of local authority capital debts because rates are only part of the council's income out of which such debt is serviced. The capital debt on housing and trading accounts is largely financed from specific income, mainly fares and rents. I understand that at the beginning of 1975–76 this debt was estimated at £373 million, with loan charges at £38 million, and that the capital debt on rating accounts was estimated at £61 million, with loan charges at £7.3 million.