HC Deb 23 July 1986 vol 102 c259W
21. Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of local authority associations to discuss local authority spending.

Mr. Waldegrave

On 7 July 1986 in the consultative council on local government finance.

25. Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many submissions he has received to date in response to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government."

26. Mr. Haynes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have responded to date to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government."

Mr. Ridley

I have received over 400 responses to our tax and grant proposals, about 70 of them from local authorities. The consultation period continues until 31 October.

60. Mr. Michie

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is yet able to announce any decision with regard to the recommendations of the Widdicombe report concerning section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Mrs. Rumbold

I refer to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on the 22 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bruinvels).

61. Mrs. Shields

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received from local authorities concerning the use of capital receipts for the benefit of people requiring council housing.

Mr. John Patten

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from local authorities, and from the local authority associations, seeking changes in the regulations on the use of capital receipts. Additional capital expenditure funded from receipts produces a net increase in the public sector borrowing requirement, and for that reason it has to be controlled and phased. However, even the present prescribed proportion of 20 per cent. for most housing receipts means that, over the three years after a receipt has been generated, an authority can spend roughly half of it on new capital projects.