§ Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total gross expenditure in England and Wales on rate fund services for each year since 1970–71, including an estimate for 1978–79; and what was the total expenditure on wages and salaries expressed as a percentage of gross expenditure on rate fund services for each year.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThe available information is as follows:
AMOUNTS (£ MILLIONS AT OUTTURN PRICES) CHARGED TO THE RATE FUND Gross revenue expenditure(1) Wages and salaries(2) (b) as a percentage of (a) (a) (b) 1970–71 4,619 2,347 50.8 1971–72 5,415 2,804 51.8 1972–73 6,348 3,335 52.5 1973–74 7,718 3,857 50.0 1974–75 (3). 9,820 5,131 52.3 1975–76 12,620 6,619 52.5 1976–77 14,376 7,552 52.5 1977–78 15,746 8,112 51.5 Precise figures for 1978–79 will not be available until September 1979, although the estimates made at the time of the rate support grant settlement in November 1978 envisaged an increase in net revenue expenditure charged to the rate fund between 1977–78 and 1978–79 of about 11 per cent.
NOTES.
- (1) All expenditure charged to rate fund service accounts including transfers and recharges between services and accounts—e.g. recharged administrative expenses—which results in substantial duplication. This duplication is not reflected in the figures for wages and salaries.
- (2) Gross pay, including employers' national insurance contributions and all superannuation contributions and un-funded pension payments.
746 - (3) Comparisons before and after 1974–75 will be affected by the changes in service responsibility in April 1974 when certain health, water and sewerage services ceased to be local authority responsibilities.