§ Mr. Murphyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider a review of the rate support grant to take into account the particular circumstances of the new towns.
§ Mr. KingA number of district councils for new town areas have questioned whether the grant-related expenditure assessments used in the rate support grant settlement for 1981–82 take full account of costs associated with relatively rapid population growth in their areas. We are discussing the effects of population growth and decline with the local authority associations in the grants working 131W group to see whether any changes are needed in the grant-related expenditure formula for 1982–83. I do not at present see any need for any more general review.