§ 42. Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to the areas of increasing population in the rate support grant settlement.
§ Mr. Shore:The needs assessments on which the distribution of needs element is based take account of the full range of expenditure needs of all areas. Where an area's population is increasing faster than its rateable resources, it will also attract additional resources element.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the amount of the needs element of the rate support grant payable in each financial year from 1974–75 to 1978–79, and an estimate for 1979–80 to Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester and Liverpool at current prices and the per capita sum these figures represent for each city in each of the years quoted.
§ Mr. Guy Barnett:The amount of needs element of rate support grant expressed at November 1978 prices payable in each of the years 1974–75 to 1978–79, and the latest figures available for 1979–80, in 678W respect of Sheffield, Leeds Newcastle, Manchester and Liverpool, together with the per capita sum these figures represent for each city in each of the years, is attached. Only the figures for the three years from 1977–78 are on a comparable basis as in the earlier years different grant percentages and resources/needs element ratios applied.
Needs grant expressed at November 1978 prices £ million Grant per capita at November 1978 prices £ Sheffield 1974–75 … 53.70 94.52 1975–76 … 55.40 98.70 1976–77 … 53.03 94.70 1977–78 … 52.94 95.32 1978–79 … 49.81 89.68 1979–80 … 49.18 89.85 Leeds 1974–75 … 71.19 95.38 1975–76 … 70.87 94.62 1976–77 … 66.54 88.94 1977–78 … 64.65 86.83 1978.79 … 63.16 84.84 1979–80 … 65.35 89.03 Newcastle 1974–75 … 35.94 118.69 1975–76 … 34.21 115.27 1976–77 … 32.08 108.29 1977–78 … 30.35 103.30 1978–79 … 29.75 101.25 1979–80 … 30.56 104.46 Manchester 1974–75 … 82.70 154.44 1975–76 … 77.70 151.25 1976–77 … 74.94 148.85 1977–78 … 75.99 153.17 1978–79 … 76.85 155.84 1979–80 … 80.05 162.84 Liverpool 1974–75 … 84.30 142.70 1975–76 … 81.80 145.90 1976–77 … 77.13 140.18 1977–78 … 79.35 146.37 1978–79 … 77.95 143.79 1979–80 … 79.39 147.88
§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the nature and effect of the new support grant to be accorded to the county of Dorset; what estimate he has made of the percentage increase which this will occasion upon the assumption that services are unchanged; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Guy Barnett:The Rate Support Grant Order now before the House envisages that Dorset will receive an estimated £34.480 million rate support grant needs element in 1979–80, £85,000 less than in 1978–79 in real terms. This is equivalent to a 0.1p rate. I cannot predict 679W the actual increase in the county's rate next year since this depends not only on the services it provides and its grants but also on how it decides to use its balances. The House will have an opportunity to debate the settlement before Christmas.