§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Prime Minister whether she will set out the evidence on which she based her statements concerning overspending by Labour-controlled local authorities, made on 20 March,Official Report, column 1007.
§ The Prime MinisterOn the basis of the information then available to the Department of the Environment, Labour authorities' budgets were on average 14 per cent. above their standard spending assessments; the budgets of Conservative-controlled authorities were estimated to be on average 4 per cent. above their SSAs. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has said that he intends to place a summary of the returns for individual authorities in the Library of the House after returns from all authorities have been received.