§ Mr. Snapeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to provide additional 294W funds to the Sandwell metropolitan borough council to assist the council in meeting its obligations under the Housing Defects Act following the designation of Smith type houses under the Act.
§ Sir George YoungSandwell metropolitan borough council's obligations under the Housing Defects Act, including those likely to arise following the designation of Smith houses, were taken into account, within the resources available, in making the 1986–87 housing investment programme allocations.
§ Mr. Snapeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with Sandwell metropolitan borough council about next year's rate support grant; and what discussions are planned.
§ Mrs. RumboldI exchanged correspondence last year with the chairman of the council's finance committee. No meeting has been sought. I should be happy to meet a deputation from the council if it wishes.
§ Mr. Snapeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in percentage terms the proportion of total local authority expenditure met by rate support grant by the Sandwell metropolitan borough council for each year since 1977.
§ Mrs. RumboldFigures before 1981–82 are not comparable with later years. The grant figures and percentages below are after holdback of block grant. Those for 1981–82 and 1982–83 are final entitlements; those for subsequent years are latest entitlements.
Year Rate support Grant Total Expenditure £ per cent. 1981–82 40,476,440 48.1 1982–83 46,361,960 46.7 1983–84 53,009,218 48.2 1984–85 54,652,740 48.6 1985–86 53,171,046 45.7
§ Mr. Snapeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list his Department's allocation for housing expenditure to the Sandwell metropolitan borough for each year since 1977.
§ Sir George YoungThe housing investment programme allocations for Sandwell metropolitan borough council since 1977–78 have been as follows:
£ million 1977–78 15.649 1978–79 18.039 1979–80 18.119 1980–81 19.869 1981–82 14.684 1982–83 15.834 1983–84 16.668 1984–85 14.664 1985–86 13.153 1986–87 12.343 Since 1981–82 authorities have been able to augment their allocations by spending the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.