§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in fixing the levels of rate support grant, he will reduce the grant payable to each authority by an amount equivalent to the difference between the sum paid by that authority towards any maternity retention schema paid by them to teachers and the amount normally paid to mothers employed by private commerce and industry.
§ Mr. KingNo. Rate support grant is paid to authorities in accordance with principles of general application and cannot be subject to ad hoc deductions for specific purposes.