§ Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Wales when the third rate support grant supplementary report for Wales for 1981–82 will be published.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI have today laid this report before Parliament, together with the Welsh rate support grant supplementary report 1983–84. The Welsh rate support grant supplementary report 1983–84 implements the Government's proposals for holdback of block grant from those authorities in Wales which have exceeded the Government's 1983–84 expenditure targets. These proposals were set out in the Welsh rate support grant report 1983–84 published on 20 December 1982 and approved by the House of Commons on 19 January 1983. Welsh authorities' budgets indicate a planned overspending above these targets of £21.1 million and the reduction in block grant amounts to £12.6 million.
The Welsh rate support grant supplementary (No. 3) report 1981–82 adjusts grant holdback and certain expenditure exempted from the calculation, from a provisional outturn basis to a final outturn basis, now that the necessary outturn data from local authorities in Wales is available. The changes are relatively marginal and the net effect is to reduce grant holdback from £2.2 million to £2.1 million.
My Department is sending to local authorities copies of each report, and tables showing authorities' new grant entitlements.