§ Mr. Silvesterasked the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued to the passenger transport authorities on future levels of expenditure.
§ Mr. MooreAlthough I do not intend to determine expenditure levels for 1987–88 formally under the Rates Act 1984 for the Passenger Transport Authorities until July, certain of the authorities have asked me for provisional and informal early guidance on likely levels of expenditure for 1987–88 and 1988–89. Accordingly my Department has today written to each PTA with such guidance, and I have arranged for copies of those letters to be available in the House of Commons Library. This guidance is intended simply to give the authorities an indication of the order of expenditure which appears in the light of present information to be consistent with the Government's policy objectives. The authorities will of course have full opportunities to submit their views on the appropriate levels of expenditure under the normal procedures laid down by the Rates Act, and I will give very careful consideration to any such views at the appropriate time.