Local Authority Expenditure (Hansard, 25 June 1974)

§ Mr. David Price
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the net effect upon the moneys required to be found by local authorities in England and Wales if all local authority expenditure on education, school meals and milk, police, fire and the administration of justice were to be funded centrally by the Exchequer and if the rate support grant were to be abolished, on the basis of the figures given in Command Paper No. 5532 "The Rate Support Grant 1974–75".

§ Mr. John Silkin
For this year there would be an estimated net reduction of about £317 million in rateborne expenditure, assuming the withdrawal of rate support grant and of specific grants for the services concerned.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the percentage of local government expenditure which will be covered by Government grants in the current rating year; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous five years.

§ Mr. John Silkin
The 1974–75 rate support grant was on the basis that 60.5 per cent. of the estimated "relevant" 431W expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales would be financed by Government grants. For the previous five years the comparable figures were:

1969–70 … … … 56 per cent.

1970–71 … … … 57 per cent.

1971–72 … … … 57.5 per cent.

1972–73 … … … 58 per cent.

1973–74 … … … 60 per cent.

Government grants and subsidies towards local authority housing revenue accounts and trading services etc. are not included in the rate support grant.

1969–70	…	…	…	56 per cent.
1970–71	…	…	…	57 per cent.
1971–72	…	…	…	57.5 per cent.
1972–73	…	…	…	58 per cent.
1973–74	…	…	…	60 per cent.