HC Deb 26 July 1976 vol 916 c50W
Mr. Brotherton

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report the financial targets that he has set for local authorities to which their expenditure estimates should be cut; and what evidence he has of the success that each authority has had in meeting these targets.

Mr. Shore

The planned levels of local authority expenditure are set out in the latest public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 6393). Guidance as to how they should be interpreted by individual authorities was set out in Joint Departmental Circulars (DOE 129/75 and DOE 45/76). The latest returns asked for by 16th July are still being analysed.

Sir Frederic Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have intimated to him a refusal to implement the demands made upon them for across-the-board flat-rate percentage expenditure cuts in Circular 45/76; for what reasons; and if he will identify these authorities.

Mr. Shore

Circular 45/76 did not demand across-the-board flat-rate percentage expenditure cuts of local authorities. The returns made in response to the guidance given in Circular 45/76 are still being analysed.