§ Mr. Strawasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the freeze on new applications from local authorities for grants under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, following his Department's letter to local authorities, dated 26 March.
§ Mr. WaddingtonFollowing a general administrative review of posts funded under section 11, local authorities were informed on 26 March 1986 of my right hon. Friend's intention to introduce revised guidelines for the administration of section 11 grant. A draft circular incorporating the proposed new guidelines has been sent to the local authority associations and to some other bodies for comment. The substantial number of applications which were current on 24 March will continue to be considered under the existing guidelines, but my right hon. Friend has decided that, unless there are exceptional pressing circumstances, all new applications must be considered in accordance with the new guidelines, which we hope will be in place by the early autumn.