§ Mr. MadelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of money being transferred from Bedfordshire county council, Mid-Bedfordshire district council and South Bedfordshire district council by way of resource reallocation in the current financial year; what are the estimated figures for those three authorities in the years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David HuntResource equalisation is one of the factors affecting the distribution of block grant. In order to estimate the effect of this factor alone, I have assumed that each local authority in England is spending at the level of its grant-related expenditure assessment. On that basis, I estimate that in 1989–90 there would have been an implicit transfer of £7.2 million from domestic ratepayers in Mid Bedfordshire (£2.1 million) and South Bedfordshire (£5.1 million) to ratepayers in other parts of the country.
1181WResource equalisation based on rateable values will end with the introduction of the new grant system in April 1990. There will, however, be a temporary safety net to phase in these arrangements.