§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to alleviate the additional costs placed on local authorities for compensation to pensioners.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesMy right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid the Local Government (Compensation for Redundancy) Regulations 1994 before the House on 5 December. These allow local authorities to compensate pensioners whose payments were reduced following the Court of Appeal judgment in Allsopv. North Tyneside MBC. Where authorities choose to make such payments, they must do so from their own available resources.