§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value of rate support grant per head of population in England.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettAbout £125.
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage reduction in the Surrey rate support grant in 1978–79 as compared with 1977–78; and what is the equivalent figure for the metropolitan districts and the Greater London Council, and for the shire counties generally.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettFinal calculations of grant entitlements for 1978–79 have not yet been made; but on the basis of498W estimates prepared for the recent meeting of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance the overall change in entitlements to needs element payments would be as follows:
ESTIMATED PERCENTAGE INCREASE 1978–79 1977–78 Percentage Surrey 0.8 Shire Counties 3.5 Metropolitan Districts 5.5 London Boroughs 20.4
§ Mr. Madelasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of money Bedfordshire County Council has received by way of rate support grant in each successive year from 1974–75. including the planned amount for 1978–79.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThe resources and domestic elements of the rate support grant are not paid to county councils. Payments of the needs element to Bedfordshire County Council have been as follows:
£ million 1974–75 25.7 1975–76 32.1 1976–77 34.1 1977–78 31.9 The figures for 1974–75 and 1975–76 represent the final calculations; the figures for 1976–77 and 1977–78 are the payments made under the first increase order and main order, respectively. The grant calculations for 1978–79 have still to be made; on the basis of estimates prepared for the recent meeting of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, Bedfordshire's grant entitlement for the full year would be £ 36.4 million.