HC Deb 15 July 1987 vol 119 cc522-3W
16. Mr. Corbett

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to give provisional details of the 1988–89 rate support grant settlement.

Mr. Chope

I hope to announce my proposals for the main elements of the 1988–89 rate support grant settlement before the House rises for the summer recess.

38. Mr. Allan Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much rate support grant has been withdrawn from the councils of the Merseyside area; and by how much their housing investment programmes have been reduced since 1979.

Mr. Waldegrave

Since the introduction of block grant in 1981–82 local authorities in the area of the former Merseyside county council have received total rate support grant as follows:

£ million
1981–82 4th SR 378.3
1982–83 3rd SR 372.1
1983–84 3rd SR 381.3
1984–85 3rd SR 371.0
1985–86 3rd SR 411.0
1986–87 2nd SR 388.0
1987–88 1st SR 418.0

Their share of the total block grant payable in England in this period has risen by 7 per cent. The system prior to 1981–82 is not comparable.

Total HIP allocations for the Merseyside authorities since the introduction of the capital control system in 1981–82 are as follows:

£ million
1981–82 64.2
1982–83 76.2
1983–84 66.6
1984–85 65.7
1985–86 57.6
1986–87 49.0
1987–88 46.1

The system prior to 1981–82 is not comparable.

Local authorities' spending power from capital receipts, which can be used in addition to capital allocations has grown substantially in recent years. In 1986–87 the Merseyside authorities would have been able to spend a further £57.1 million of capital receipts from all services, in addition to their £49.0 million HIP allocations.