§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to make any changes to his Department's cash limits in connection with expenditure on rate support grants to local authorities in Wales.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsSubject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate for class XVIII, vote 2, the cash limit is being reduced by £5,600,000 from £834,200,000 to £828,600,000. There is no direct public expenditure borne on this vote. In the light of local authorities' budgeted expenditure for 1985–86, this reduction reflects the proposed abatement of block grant for 1985–86, in accordance with the proposals set out in paragraph 38 of the Welsh rate support grant report 1985–86 which was approved by the House on 16 January 1985. The adjustment of block grant will, of course, be subject to the approval of the requisite supplementary rate support grant report by the House.