§ Mr. Gourlayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the principles on which he decides whether, and to what extent, a grant is payable to a local authority submitting a scheme under the Coast Protection Act, 1949.
§ Mr. MaclayGrant is not payable where the cost of essential new work would not bring the authority's rate
62Wamount of statutory rate contribution, and the amount of additional rate contribution paid to the housing revenue accounts of local authorities for the financial years 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, and 1958–59.
§ Mr. MaclayInformation for all local authorities in the form requested by the hon. Member is not readily available. The following figures, for which I am indebted to the Scottish Branch of the institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants, however relate to all counties and large burghs and to small burghs with a population of 9,000 or over, and thus cover about 90 per cent. of local authority houses in Scotland:
burden for coast protection to more than 2d. in the £. The rate of grant in any particular case is determined, within a maximum of 80 per cent., by reference to the authority's total rate burden for coast protection, its current rate poundage and its current rate of Exchequer equalisation grant; except that work for the protection of a trunk or classified road earns grant at the rate appropriate to works on the road.