§ Mr. Whiteheadasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will detail in the Official Report which definitions of local authority expenditure can be derived from the revenue outturn forms returned to his Department for 1980–81; and, in particular, whether current, relevant and total expenditure can be devised for each individual council.
§ Mr. KingThe 1980–81 outturn revenue summary forms show current expenditure, on the definition which was used for setting individual targets, at outturn prices. There was no statutory definition of "total" expenditure for individual authorities, until the introduction of block grant in 1981–82, but figures approximating to the 1981–82 definition of "total" expenditure could be derived from the 1980–81 outturn forms.
For 1980–81, the concept of relevant expenditure had no significance at individual authority level, but the definintion at aggregate level could, in principle, be extended to derive outturn figures for individual authorities. However, the derivation would be complex, requiring the use of data from several different forms.
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§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his most recent estimate of the proportion of local government expenditure in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London met by (i) central Government grants, (ii) domestic ratepayers, (iii) commercial and industrial ratepayers, (iv) other ratepayers and (v) rents and charges.
§ Mr. KingThe most recent estimates are for 1979–80. In that year, in England and Wales, local government revenue expenditure was met in the following proportions:
Per cent. (i) central Government grants 55 (ii) domestic ratepayers 13 (iii) commercial and industrial ratepayers 11 (iv) other ratepayers 5 (v) rents and charges 16 The information for Greater London is not immediately available. I shall write to the hon. Member in due course.