§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Wales what principles his Department will utilise to assess the level of block grant for each local authority in Wales when the new block grant scheme commences; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsI refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 39–41 of the Rate Support Grant Order 1979 which was laid before the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 28 November 1979. The Welsh consultative council on local government finance has agreed that standard expenditure assessments will be based on the methodology recommended by the joint working party on a Welsh rate support grant. This was set out in its first and second reports, copies of which are in the Library of the House.