§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his replies given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central on 7 June,Official Report, column 688, and 20 June, Official Report, column 566, what was the sum added to the revenue support grant for England 1990–91 in respect of business rates otherwise payable in (a) the Newcastle and (b) the Gateshead portions of the Tyneside enterprise zone.
§ Mr. Chope[holding answer 27 June 1990]: A total of £81 million was added to the revenue support grant for 505W England in 1990–91 as being broadly equivalent to the amount of rates that would have been paid in 1990–91 but for the exemption from rating of properties in enterprise zones. No part of this figure is specifically attributed to any individual enterprise zone. As all business rates are gathered into a central pool and then paid out to authorities on the basis of their relevant populations an authority containing an enterprise zone would not lose income as a result. Any difference between authorities in the amount which they need to spend to provide a standard level of service at average efficiency is measured in their standard spending assessments and is provided for in their RSG.