HC Deb 10 February 1986 vol 91 cc339-40W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to promulgate the terms for compensation for financial detriment to Greater London council staff who take up employment with successor authorities at a lower rate of remuneration as a result of the abolition of the Greater London council on 31 March; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tracey

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) on 13 November 1985 at column167. The regulations giving effect to the government's decisions on compensation for redundancy and financial detriment to staff affected by the Local Government Act 1985 were laid before Parliament on 7 February. My Department is sending copies of the regulations, together with explanatory notes, to all the local authorities affected and to other interested parties. I am arranging for copies of the notes to be placed in the Library.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 51, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent under section 7 of the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act for a grant to the Asha Women's Group; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tracey

Consent to this grant was refused on 5 February.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 52, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent for Hounslow West station car park; and if he will make a statement;

(2) pursuant to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, column 141, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent to funding for Wyke House hostel, Weymouth, Dorset; and if he will make a statement;

(3) pursuant to his answer of 24 January, Official Report, column 341, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent to the disposal of Wilton's music hall, Graces alley, London E1; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tracey

Consent has been given to these applications.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 52, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent to a grant to the Polytechnic of Central London for a study of decentralisation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tracey

Consent to this application has been refused.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, column 141, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent to the upgrading of computers for the welfare benefits project.

Mr. Tracey

Consent to this application, and to others from the Greater London council involving expenditure totalling £3.444 million in connection with the council's welfare benefits project, has today been refused.

The Government have recognised the value of past efforts to encourage the take-up of welfare benefit. Nonetheless, decisions on the future of this project are best left to the borough councils with whom statutory responsibility for local social services lies.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 24 January, Official Report, column 341, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent to the disposal of Kings Reach, Stamford wharf, wall and walk; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tracey

I will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 24 January, Official Report, column 341, when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent to the disposal of 50–52 King street, Southall; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tracey

Consent to this application has today been refused.

The council sought consent to acquire a new 15-year lease on these premises and to grant a lease to Southall police monitoring group at a peppercorn rent. Such an arrangement would impose financial liabilities upon the council's successors and their ratepayers without any regard to their wishes.

Mr. Shore

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated rate support grant payment to the London borough of Tower Hamlets for 1986–87; and how much of this sum is payment in lieu of services formerly provided by the Greater London council.

Mr. Waldegrave

If the London borough of Tower Hamlets budgets in line with our settlement assumption of £120.208 million, which is about 3.5 per cent. higher than its budget for 1985–86, it will receive £71.184 million in block grant, including payments from the London rate equalisation scheme of just over £10 million. Domestic rate relief grant will be £2.971 million and the estimated total of RSG will therefore be £74.155 million. This is about £46.8 million higher than the current entitlement for 1985–86, of which about £42 million is due to the abolition of the GLC.