§ Dr. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for- the Environment if he will increase the grant-related expenditure assessments and provide additional rate support grant to boroughs and districts in order to facilitate greater expenditure on litter prevention, street cleaning, refuse collection, disposal and amenity services.
§ Mr. RidleyI believe that local authorities are receiving fully adequate support from the Government through the grant-related expenditure and block grant arrangements to allow them to undertake all their services for 1986–87, including litter prevention, street cleaning, refuse collection, disposal and amenity services.
Consultations with the local authority association; on the level of relevant expenditure for all local government services, including environmental services, for 1.987–88 are currently in progress.
§ Mr. Clayasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the total amount to date which has been withheld from (a) all local authorities, (b) local authorities in the northern region and (c) the borough of Sunderland in the form of penalties which were imposed on councils for spending in excess of required amounts.
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§ Mrs. Rumbold[pursuant to her reply, 3 June 1986]: The following are the amounts of grant holdback incurred by local authorities in England, in the northern region, and by the borough of Sunderland for the years 1981–82 to 1985–86; that is those years for which expenditure guidance and holdback of grant are applicable.
England £ mllion Northern region £ million Sunderland £ milllion 1981–82 123.000 17.023 2.206 1982–83 232.000 28.246 3.303 1983–84 281.000 50.204 3.614 1984–85 276.020 26.257 2.938 1985–86 435.359 74.301 9.939 Figures for 1981–82 and 1982–83 are final entitlements; figures for 1983–84 onwards are latest estimates in the relevant supplementary rate support grant reports.
Northern region includes local authorities in the counties of Cleveland, Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear.