§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what special allowance has been made in the current year's rate support grant for counties that have new towns within their boundaries.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettNo special allowance is made in the rate support grant distribution. There are, however, arrangements to enable certain new town corporations, including Northampton, to make interesT—free loans to their host county councils to cover the "undue financial burden" of new town development. This grant is calculated retrospectively and was paid to Northamptonshire for 1975–76 and is likely to be available again to cover the financial year 1976–77.
§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the social factors in the rate support grant distribution formula based on the 1971 census, are the figures for social factors in the rate support grant distribution formula updated by him; and, if so, by what method.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThose factors used in the rate support grant distribution derived from the 1971 Census and the method of their updating are set out in560W the Rate Support Grant Order 1976 (SI No. 2203) laid before the House on 6th December 1976.