§ Mr. Gummerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake a study of the factors which affect low and high per capita spending by county councils.
§ Mr. KingWe published yesterday a document explaining how grant-related expenditure for the rate support grant was devised on the basis of a service by service analysis of local authority costs and spending needs. This document brings out into the open many of the factors that affect different levels of spending. We look forward to public discussion and development of this analysis.