HC Deb 16 February 1988 vol 127 c522W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if in view of the exceptionally wet weather, he will consider extending the time limit from 1 March to 31 March for local authorities to clear up the hurricane damage.

Mr. Ridley

On 8 December 1987, at column 99, I announced, inter alia, proposals to widen the total expenditure exclusion on storm-related revenue expenditure above a threshold amount. Total expenditure exclusions have the effect of relieving authorities from block grant loss. I have now consulted the local authority associations and the authorities concerned about these revised proposals and have considered their comments carefully.

A number of the responses also made representations about the scheme of financial assistance (the Bellwin scheme) to assist authorities with the costs of storm damage. After careful consideration of these representations I have decided to make no changes to the Bellwin scheme which was designed to provide assistance in meeting emergency expenditure in the immediate aftermath of the storm. For the purposes of the scheme, the date by which work of an emergency nature must be completed therefore remains 1 March 1988.

In the light of the representations on the total expenditure exclusions, I have decided to extend the exclusion for 1987–88 to cover all storm-related revenue expenditure above the threshold defined for the Bellwin rules, including revenue contributions to capital outlays, incurred by the end of March 1988. In addition, as proposed, I have decided to exclude for 1987–88 and 1988–89 all debt charges incurred in respect of capital expenditure on storm damage on 16 October up to the end of March 1989. Finally, I have also proposed that all debt charges on this capital expenditure which fall in 1989–90 should also be excluded: a decision on this proposal will be taken prior to the 1989–90 RSG settlement.