§ Lord Evans of Claughtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why their figures for the percentage of expenditure (before the deduction of grants or other income) presently controlled by metropolitan county councils which will be transferred to joint boards if the Government's proposals for reorganisation of local government are implemented, varied between 60 per cent. in December 1983 and 55 per cent. in March 1984, and whether they will explain how these figures were calculated.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Bellwin)The first figure (60 per cent.) was derived from latest available information. This related to budget returns for 1983-84 which relate to net expenditure. The second figure (55 per cent.) was provided in response to a question about gross expenditure and was derived from outturn forms for 1982–83.