§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been his response to the request of Merseyside county council for a number of items of its expenditure for 1984–85 to be disregarded for the purpose of penalties.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI considered very carefully all representations by or on behalf of local authorities for expenditure disregards before making the Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1984–85. Those items of expenditure which I propose to disregard are set out in paragraph 32 of the report. I will, however, give further consideration to all representations, including those received from Merseyside county council, before implementing grant abatement in the first Supplementary Rate Support Grant Report for 1984–85, which will be laid before Parliament in the summer.