§ Sir Peter Millsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will remove parish precepts from cash targets in local council spending; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy right hon. Friend has received representations from a number of authorities for this expenditure to be disregarded under section 8(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1982 in assessing liability to grant abatement. He is not so far convinced of the case for such a disregard but he will consider all the representations made to him carefully before taking final decisions about implementing grant abatement.