§ Mr. Brightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies his 635W Department is currently undertaking into means, other than by domestic rates, of financing local government expenditure.
§ Mr. KingA great deal of work has already been done by the Layfield committee and others; I am now looking at the whole field of local government finance.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reduction he requires local authorities to make in their current expenditure; and what estimate he offers of the additional unemployment this will create.
§ Mr. KingThe Government expect local authorities to make a reduction of around 3 per cent. (£360 million) in the level of current expenditure envisaged in the rate support grant settlement. It is for individual authorities to decide how best to achieve these savings. The effect on manpower will depend on the decisions they make.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take if a local authority refuses
No. of applications since Sept. 1978 Authority No. of dwellings 1 … … … Beaconsfield DC … … … … 23 1 … … … N. Bedfordshire DC … … … 2 1 … … … City of London … … … … 30 1 … … … N. Cornwall DC … … … … 4 1 … … … Coventry MDC … … … … 355 1 … … … Crawley DC … … … … 18 1 … … … Derby DC … … … … … 94 1 … … … Gateshead MDC … … … … 574 1 … … … S. Kestevan DC … … … … 132 1 … … … Manchester MDC … … … 140 1 … … … Merton LBS … … … … 428 1 … … … Newcastle MDC … … … … 75 2 … … … Redditch DC … … … … 25 1 … … … Sefton MDC … … … … 140 2 … … … Sunderland MDC … … … 272 1 … … … Taunton Deane DC … … … 243 1 … … … Wealden DC … … … … 269 1 … … … Wellingborough … … … … 75