§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals for providing additional moneys under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 for the London borough councils in 1986–87; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerNo,
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future funding of organisations funded under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 by the Greater London council and the metropolitan counties which have received his approval for funding in 1985–86 under his powers in section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerSection 137 expenditure by the GLC is discretionary expenditure, and it is for borough councils, and other successor bodies where appropriate, to decide whether to give support to organisations which the GLC has grant-aided under this power. Where such bodies are voluntary organisations, the Government have provided powers for boroughs to support them under a collective scheme. In addition, there is a programme of central Government grant-aid for individual boroughs taking over grants to voluntary organisations.
Approval of GLC section 137 expenditure in 1985–86 by the Secretary of State under the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 carries with it no implied view about the desirability or otherwise of such expenditure in that or subsequent years.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the future of those organisations presently funded partly by the Greater London council and partly by the Government's urban programme;
(2) whether the Government plan to provide the additional resources to those organisations which are currently funded under the urban programme and who receive part funding from the Greater London council.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerWhere an organisation receives urban programme funding through the GLC, and this funding is due to continue beyond 31 March 1986, the Secretary of State will make the urban programme grant available to the successor borough. The urban programme grant will then continue until its expiry date, after which it will, if necessary, be considered for possible renewal.
Where, in addition to urban programme funding, either through the GLC or a borough, an organisation is receiving 383W support from the GLC's main programmes, it will look to the appropriate borough council to replace that element of its funding. Inherited expenditure of this type which is not eligible for UP support will be eligible for support under the transitional grant arrangements.
§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals for the funding of recording studios providing training for young black people in the inner city area, presently funded by the Greater London council.
§ Sir George YoungResponsibility for funding voluntary organisations currently funded by the GLC will pass to the London boroughs, individually and collectively. The Government have taken a number of steps, including transitional grant support to boroughs, to help the boroughs take on this role. To the extent that recording studios providing training are voluntary organisations, they will fall within this arrangement. Commercial organisations providing training may also be able to obtain support from a borough council, or may be eligible for MSC support.