§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the availability of further financial assistance to certain shire counties following the rate support grant settlement.
§ Mrs. RumboldI announced on 12 February, at column463, in response to a question from my hon. 621W Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves), that the total of block grant available in 1986–87 would be increased by £22 million following my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's decision to increase the rate of police grant for 1986–87 to 51 per cent. All police authorities, both in shire and metropolitan areas, will gain from this. On 5 March, at column 190, I announced, in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Sumberg), that I was formally guaranteeing that £500 million of grant would be recycled in 1986–87 to local authorities in grant.