§ 44. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what proportion he expects current expenditure by local authorities to increase in 1983–84.
§ Mr. KingIn my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 27 July, he announced a proposed total of £19.5 billion for current expenditure in 1983–84 by English local authorities. That is an increase of about 9 per cent. over the public expenditure provision for 1982–83, and of about 2 per cent. over total current expenditure in authorities' budgets for 1982–83.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to ensure that local authorities will use their full capital expenditure allocations in the current financial year.
§ Mr. HeseltineI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) and to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mr. Dobson).