§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if, in view of the serious effect of the recent heavy falls of snow in the Principality and the fact that before the Government give any additional financial support the local authorities will have faced an increase in cost of up to 2½p in the £, he will urgently meet the Welsh Counties Committee for discussions as requested by the Secretary to the Welsh Counties Committee, Mr. M. H. Philips of Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI have already agreed to the request of the Welsh Counties Committee, and a meeting of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance has been arranged for Monday 1 February. As regards a statement, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 20 January 1982 to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell).—[Vol. 16, c. 279.] The arrangements for financial aid to local authorities, which are not quite as the question implies, were described in my written reply of 18 January to the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley).—[Vol. 16, c.20.]