§ Sir Ian LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a table showing, for each local authority, the impact on the rates and community charge of the net running costs of leisure centres as a percentage of the relevant sum for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.
§ Mr. PortilloThe total of net current expenditure, debt charges and expenditure on other non-current items (such as flood defence payments to the National Rivers Authority) represents spending to be funded by revenue support grant, community charges, non-domestic rates, specific grants, interest receipts and appropriation from financial reserves in 1990–91; and by block grant, rates, specific grants, interest receipts and appropriation from financial reserves in 1989–90. Authorities are free to decide, within these constraints, how spending on individual services will be allocated. The impact on the rates and community charge of spending on leisure centres cannot therefore be quantified.
The impact on net current expenditure of spending on swimming pools, sports and recreation grounds can however be shown by expressing it as a percentage of net current expenditure. I have arranged for the available information for individual authorities to be laid in the Library of the House.