§ 17. Mr. Rowlandsasked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement regarding Government financial assistance to individuals and local authorities affected by the floods in Wales.
§ 18. Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding his decision on assistance to local authorities in Wales to repair damage caused by the recent floods.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsAs has already been announced, local authorities whose additional expenditure exceeds the product of a penny rate will receive 75 per cent. grant on that excess. I shall be issuing detailed provisions about this in an early circular, which should enable a full assessment to be made of the financial scale of the damage. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State has met representatives of the local authorities and I am giving careful consideration to what they have said.
As regards individuals, some 960 of the affected householders in Wales have received immediate aid totalling about £30,000 in social security. Assistance from the EEC's disaster fund will also be available, and I have asked district councils to let me have figures for this purpose. Individuals whose homes were flooded may apply to their district councils for assistance from the fund.