HC Deb 21 December 1981 vol 15 cc325-6W
Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, for each local authority in England he will for the year 1982–83 give the target figure for the total expenditure falling on the rates, in accordance with the formula described in his written answer to the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Dover) on 2 December; if he will provide a list of all local authorities in England stating which would have been above and which below this target figure; and by what percentage on the basis of their budgets for 1981–82 if this formula for a target had been in force for 1981–82.

Mr. Heseltine

I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) today. It would not be possible to apply the methodology we are proposing for 1982–83 targets to produce comparable figures for 1981–82 without making a number of arbitrary assumptions, since 1981–82 was the first year of the new block grant system.

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