§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to local authority associations regarding members' allowances and decimalisation of the currency to convert the Members' Allowances Regulations to decimal form; and if he will consider raising the scale of financial loss and travel allowance.
§ Mr. Graham PageMy right hon. Friend has not thought it necessary to issue guidance on this matter, since conversion of the rates has been effected by Section 10(1) of the Decimal Currency Act, 1969, and he is not aware of any special problems. The local authority associations have not requested increases in the rates of financial loss allowance, which apply also to other forms of voluntary public service. They have, however, asked for increases in the mileage rates for car travel allowance, and this is under consideration.