§ Mr. Tim Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to intervene to help those local authorities in London and the south-east which are at present unable to fill a large number of vacant senior posts.
§ Mr. ChopeNo. The responsibility lies with the elected councils.
316WBradford metropolitan district council in 1986–87 and 1987–88, showing the percentage increase: and if he will also make a statement on the effects of this on the 1987–88 rate.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend announced on 13 January his firm intentions for the 1987–88 rate support grant settlement, and for the first supplementary rate support grant report for 1986–87. On the basis of these intentions, if Bradford metropolitan district council increases its current expenditure next year by 5¼ per cent. it stands to receive £137.706 million block grant, which is £10.426 million (8.2 per cent.) more than in 1986–87. If the council raises its spending in line with the rate of inflation, it stands to receive £138.414 million block grant, an increase of £11.133 million (8.7 per cent.) on 1986–87. These increases could enable Bradford to reduce the local rate by 7.3 per cent. or by 12 per cent. respectively. On the basis of the Secretary of State for Education and Science's proposals on teachers' pay, Bradford could receive a further £3.4 million in grant and the rate reductions would be about 2 per cent. less.
§ Sir Geoffrey Finsbergasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect his recent statements on the rate support grant and rate limitation will have upon ratepayers in the London borough of Camden in the coming financial year.
§ Mr. ChopeThe Local Government Finance Bill will allow the London borough of Camden to levy a local rate for 1987–88 of no more than 120.7p in the pound, an increase of 1.5 per cent. on 1986–87. The second largest element in Camden rate bills, the ILEA precept, will be limited to an increase of no more than 3.2 per cent.