HC Deb 12 November 1980 vol 992 cc205-6W
Mr. Squire

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider greater relaxation of local authority capital expenditure whilst retaining tighter controls on local authority revenue expenditure.

Mr. Heseltine

No. Programmes are separately identified under capital and revenue heads shortly before the year to which they relate and in the light of the latest circumstances. The capital expenditure proposals in Part VIII of the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill already incorporate a substantially increased measure of freedom for local authorities to determine their own priorities for capital expenditure subject to a ceiling on the aggregate capital expenditure by local authorities.