§ Mr. Thorntonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of Exchequer grant paid, and within that, the total amount of rate support grant paid for each of the past 223W 10 years to (a) England and Wales as a whole, (b) all authorities, added together, in metropolitan areas including the Greater London Council and (c) all authorities in Merseyside.
§ Mr. KingOwing to boundary changes at the time of local government reorganisation, figures for the present metropolitan areas are not available for years
Years Total Exchequer Grant RSG England and Wales RSG paid to metropolitan areas including Greater London RSG paid to Merseyside Authorities £ million £ million £ million £ million 1970–71 … … 2,048 1,880 — — 1971–72 … … 2,367 2,173 — — 1972–73 … … 2,739 2,528 — — 1973–74 … … 3,429 3,098 — — 1974–75 … … 4,756 4,384 1,750 167 1975–76 … … 6,641 5,788 2,287 217 1976–77 … … 7,291 6,295 2,548 231 1977–78 … … 7,545 6,470 2,686 253 1978–79 … … 8,259 7,055 3,004 269 1979–80 … … 8,607 7,258* 3,216 285 * Main Order.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the widespread anomalies that exist between local authorities in England and Wales over their arrangements to return any rate support grant attracted by precepts levied by parish councils from within their areas back to the relevant parish council concerned, he will seek to introduce legislation to impose a more uniform system.
§ Mr. KingNo. The Government have no plans to change the present discretionary arrangements, which are adequate.