§ 50. Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will ensure that the cost of the settlement with the firemen over the 6 per cent. norm will be met in full in the rate support grant formula for 1981–82.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe cash limit for the rate support grant for 1981–82 will provide for 6 per cent. increases in the level of earnings of local government employees for annual settlements from 1 November in the current pay round and, provisionally, in the next pay round starting 1 August 1981. We do not propose to make any additional allowance for any settlements above this level.
§ Mr. Robert C. Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what regard he will have to the second stage payment offered by the employers to firemen in setting the limits for local authority expenditure in 1980–81.
§ Mr. KingThe second stage of the settlement offered to the firemen would not be payable until April 1981 and would therefore have no effect on local authority expenditure in 1980–81. For 1981–82, allowance has been made in the rate support grant cash limit for 6 per cent. increases in annual earnings for all local authority pay settlements in the present pay round after 1 November 1980. An allowance of 6 per cent. has also been made provisionally for pay settlements in the next pay round from 1 August 1981.