§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why current spending on joint finance by local authorities is not exempt from penalties under the Rates Acts.
§ Mr. John PattenThe Rates Act 1984 provides for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to set an expenditure level for each local authority designated for rates limitation in 1985–86. These levels were announced in July, and were set on general principles. The Act provides for authorities to apply to the Secretary of State for a redetermination of their expenditure level after consideration of their individual circumstances; it would be open to authorities to include any consequences of joint finance schemes in their representations when making such an application.