§ 39. Mr. Ripponasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the extra contribution to local authority expenditure in Northumberland in 1977–78 if the rate support grant were calculated on the basis proposed for 1974–75 in the White Paper issued in January 1974, Command Paper No. 5532.
§ Mr. FreesonThe eventual distribution of the needs element of RSG in 1974–75 followed the formula proposed in Cmnd 5532, and gave Northumberland 0.70 per cent. of the total grant. The same share of the grant prescribed in the main RSG Order for 1977–78 would have increased Northumberland's entitlement by about £3.5 million. Since payments of the resources element depend partly on rate poundages, no assessment of entitlements for 1977–78, whether on an actual or alternative basis, can yet be made.
Cmnd 5532 proposed a scheme of variable domestic relief for those areas with above average rate increases between 1973–74 and 1974–75. It would not be possible to calculate the effect of a similar scheme for 1977–78, but if the proposed scheme had been implemented for 1974–75 only one district in Northumberland 609W would have received relief in excess of the current national figure of 18.5p.
§ Mr. Bulmerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will meet a deputation from the Hereford and Worcester County Council to discuss ways in which the hardship and unemployment that will arise from his decision to vary the basis of the rate support grant may be ameliorated.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettI will give favourable consideration to such a meeting; however, neither my right hon. Friend nor I have received a request from the County Council.
§ Dr. Edmund Marshallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants he proposes to make to each local authority in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region in 1977–78 as rate support grant, resources, needs and domestic elements, respectively; and what are the corresponding figures for 1976–77.
§ Mr. FreesonProvisional entitlements to needs element under the main RSG Order for 1977–78 together with the corresponding figures at the same stage for 1976–77 are shown in the table below.
Comparative figures for the resources and domestic elements are not yet available; but the domestic element payments for each year should be sufficient to meet the prescribed domestic relief of 18.5p in the £.
RATE SUPPORT GRANTS—MAIN ORDER NEEDS ELEMENT 1976–77 1977–78 £m. £m. Shire Counties Humberside … 62.293 68.899 North Yorkshire … 44.922 44.444 Metropolitan Districts South Yorkshire Barnsley … 15.404 16.680 Doncaster … 23.121 23.322 Rotherham … 18.103 18.884 Sheffield … 40.663 44.238 West Yorkshire Bradford … 37.540 41.316 Calderdale … 14.677 16.287 Kirklees … 27.542 29.880 Leeds … 50.941 54.668 Wakefield … 20.685 21.105