§ Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what extra costs are being incurred by local authorities 360W following the decision to reduce the voting age to 18; and whether such costs are eligible for grant.
§ Mr. RossThis expenditure has been approximately estimated at £50,000 in the first year and £20,000 a year thereafter. I should not feel justified in asking electoral registration officers to make a detailed assessment. Expenditure on electoral registration is reckonable for rate support grant, but the total of the grants for the period up to 1970–71 was fixed before the passing of the Act of 1969. As I indicated to the local authority associations in the course of my meeting with them on 24th January, 1969, it is not normal practice to provide for situations of this kind in a subsequent Increase Order.