HC Deb 18 June 1981 vol 6 cc417-8W
Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the expenditure for the years 1975–76 to 1980–81, together with budgeted expenditure for 1981–82, financed (a) by rates, (b) by changes in balances and (c) by Government grants, for each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole (i) in total and (ii) per capita;

(2) if he will publish in the Official Report the expenditure, for the years 1975–76 to 1980–81, together with budgeted expenditure for 1981–82 at (a) outturn prices and (b) November 1980 prices, on services now covered by the expenditure guidelines for each local authority in Scotland and for Scotland as a whole (i) in total and (ii) per capita;

(3) if he will publish in the Official Report the rate poundages for the years 1975–76 to 1981–82 for each local authority in Scotland ; and if he will indicate the impact of transitional rating arrangements on each authority;

(4) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the expenditure guidelines issued to Scottish local authorities since this practice began, showing for each year (a) the amount, in order prices, outturn prices and November 1980 prices and (b) the eventual outturn, in order prices, outturn and November 1980 prices;

(5) if he will publish in the Official Report, for each local authority in Scotland, and for Scotland as a whole, expenditure on those services not covered by expenditure guidelines, distinguishing rate fund contributions to housing revenue accounts from other items, for 1975–76 to 1980–81, together with budgeted expenditure for 1981–82, at (a) outturn prices and (b) November 1980 prices (i) in total and (ii) per capita.

Mr. Younger

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but "Rating Review", published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (Scottish Branch), contains some of the information requested. Copies have been made available in the Library.

Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the calculation of the 1981–82 expenditure guidelines for each Scottish local authority and for Scotland as a whole, as referred to in paragraph 5 of finance circular 1/1981, identifying separately (a) the build-up for each council of its expenditure guideline from the individual demographic factors used to distribute the needs element of rate support grant and (b) the modifications to these implicit needs assessments introduced into the 1981–82 guidelines in order to avoid undue variation from the 1980–81 guideline.

Mr. Younger

The guideline total of £2,053.4 million is the amount of relevant expenditure—at November 1980 prices and excluding loan charges—taken into account in the 1981–82 rate support grant settlement; details are given in appendix C to the report on the Rate Support Grant (Scotland) Order 1980 which was laid before the House on 18 December 1980. As to individual guidelines, I have nothing to add to the information given on 26 January 1981 in reply to a question from the right hon. Member for Glasgow, Craigton (Mr. Millan).—[Vol. 997, c. 290–91.]