§ 26. Mr. Dodsworthasked the Secretary of State for the Environment in the light of the fact that because of Hertfordshire's rate support grant losses of some £30 million per annum compared with 1973–74 and despite a reduction in services, people living in Stevenage or Oxhey in 1977–78 are now having to pay approximately £20 per annum more in rates than if they lived elsewhere, if he will take steps to reverse this trend.
§ 58. Sir David Rentonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware, that as a result of under-recoupment of their costs by being deprived of rate support grant in the current financial year, the Cambridgeshire County Council and district councils within its area have had seriously to curtail the services which they have a statutory duty to provide; and whether he will give an undertaking that, in negotiating the rate support grant for the next financial year, he will give such support as is required 781W to enable the county council and its constituent authorities to carry out their statutory duties.
§ Mr. ShoreI would refer the hon. Member and the right hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Radice) on 18th November 1977, which gives the terms of the rate support grant settlement for 1978–79. As will be seen from this answer, authorities such as Hertfordshire will be helped by our proposals for four-year damping of the needs assessment formula and by the 2p safety net.
§ 41. Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recognition has been paid to the needs of shire counties with increasing populations when determining the weights to be given to the different components of the rate support grant formula.
§ Mr. ShoreThe factor weightings in the RSG formulae are determined by a regression analysis of per head expenditure in the areas of all authorities receiving needs element.
§ 47. Mr. Neubertasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in relation to the assessment of rate support grant for London boroughs.
§ Mr. ShoreI have received letters from Members representing Havering, and have agreed to meet a deputation from the borough early in the New Year if they wish.
§ 51. Mr. Channonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Essex County Council about the level of rate support grant available to Essex; and what reply he has made.
§ Mr. ShoreI have received letters from all hon. Members representing the Essex constituencies, and have agreed to meet a deputation from the county as soon as we can settle a date.
§ 56. Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is planning for a further overall needs grant loss by county councils in the next 782W rate support grant determination; and, if so, of what percentage.
§ Mr. ShoreI do not plan for needs element losses by particular classes of authority. Authorities' grant entitlements are determined by a formula of general application.
§ 57. Mr. Arthur Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the local authority associations to discuss the rate support grant for 1978–79.
§ 66. Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he took when fixing the rate support grant settlement of the desirability that occupants of Parker Morris houses in new and expanded towns such as Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Cwmbran, Peterborough, Swindon, Washington and Basingstoke should make similar rate payments.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettNone. The rate support grant arrangements are designed to secure that ratepayers in England and Wales pay similar rates in the pound for similar standards of service; but because rateable values vary between areas this will not result in equal rate payments.