§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of the fact that Humberside county council is substantially overspending the targets set by Her Majesty's Government and is the third highest rated 57W county council in England and Wales, Her Majesty's Government will withdraw their support for that authority's scheme to build a £6 million leisure centre in Hull.
§ Mr. WaldegraveHumberside county council submitted to the Department an application for grant from the ERDF towards the cost of this project. My noble Friend the Minister for Local Government has recently discussed the application with representatives of the county council and is writing to my hon. Friend in the light of that discussion.
§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider either abolishing Humberside county council together with the metropolitan county councils or allowing south Humberside to be returned to Lincolnshire county council.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIt is our intention to legislate only in respect of the structure of local government in greater London and in the areas covered by the metropolitan county councils.
§ Mr. Hickmetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the 65 per cent. increase in the rates levied by Humberside county council over the past two years and its consequential effects on the viability of businesses in an area suffering from high unemployment, he will take steps to prevent the authority from increasing its rates for 1984–85 to compensate for his £9 million withdrawal of rate support grant.
§ Mr. WaldegraveAll local authorities were told in advance of the loss of grant which would result if they overspent their 1983–84 target. They were therefore able to take that into account in setting their rate for this year, so their rate for 1984–85 should not be affected. The Government are committed to legislation at an early date to cut excessive rate increases by high spending local authorities.