§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider introducing an exceptional supplement to the housing support grant at the end of the present winter to compensate local housing authorities for the extra expenditures incurred arising from adverse weather.
§ Mr. RifkindMy right hon. Friend has no power to vary housing support grant in the way suggested.
For my right hon. Friend's response to the exceptional problems which local authorities have encountered as a result of the bad weather, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunbartonshire, East (Mr. Hogg) and the hon. Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Mr. Marshall).