§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the provision for credit liabilities as at 31 March 1994; and what is his estimate of the total of the provision for credit liabilities represented by cash for each local authority and its total for England.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 9 February 1995]: Returns to the Department indicate that the total amount that English local authorities had set aside for debt repayment at 31 March 1994 was £6 billion.
The Department has no detailed information as to the extent to which these amounts are represented by cash held by local authorities, but is aware that many authorities have made use of the cash involved to meet their financing needs.