§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, following the reorganisation of local government, he will consider reallocating the burden of 90W costs of coastal erosion between district councils, county councils and his Department.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe present arrangements for sharing the costs of coast protection between local and central Government have worked well for over 20 years and I can see no reason to change them. The national interest is reflected in the payment of Exchequer grant to coast protection authorities, in which the Government meets on average between 50 per cent. and 55 per cent. of annual expenditure on capital works of protection. The level of grant paid to individual authorities is related to the effect which expenditure on coast protection work would have on the rates if unassisted: grants of up to 79 per cent. are paid.