HC Deb 03 May 1988 vol 132 cc390-1W
Dr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his announcement on 25 April, Official Report, columns 101–2, if he will make it his policy to lay before Parliament reports about the granting of additional allocations as a means of relaxing the capital controls, citing individual authorities, individual projects and their values; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ridley

Individual capital allocations have on many occasions hitherto been issued to individual local authorities for particular projects or purposes. Information about those likely to be of particular interest has been provided either in response to questions or through the Library. I am not persuaded of the need for more formal reporting arrangements.

Dr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he plans to give local authorities on capital programmes in the light of his statements on 9 March,Official Report, columns 325–36, and 25 April, Official Report, columns 101–2; and when such advice will be available.

Mr. Ridley

Copies of both statements and of the regulations made on 9 March and the new clauses added to the Local Government Finance Bill have already been circulated to all local authorities in England to which part VIII of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 applies. Representatives of local authorities have asked my Department to issue a circular containing guidance on the interpretation of the regulations and new clauses and amplifying the criteria which I proposed on 25 April,Official Report, columns 103–4. I will consider what advice can properly be given, after the current consultations have taken place.

Dr. Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his announcement about relaxations in the local authority capital control system,Official Report, 25 April, column 102, what percentage of the schemes made aware to him, after his announcement of 9 March, will be allowed to proceed by virtue of the relaxations; and what is his estimate of the value (a) of

Rate support grant
£ million
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
South East 2,473.473 2,856.488 2,797.865 2,844.049 2,749.122 2,711.310 2,739.686 2,841.019 2,850.716 2,852.703
South West 608.890 717.471 772.624 773.548 770.703 785.617 763.628 740.407 797.808 820.106
East Anglia 237.488 282.565 302.603 307.256 310.400 310.349 290.431 291.178 300.931 302.192
West Midlands 761.723 896.405 945.372 949.203 1,010.028 1,025.689 1,004.430 1,052.489 1,043.422 1,044.842
East Midlands 584.950 684.816 750.100 744.861 755.326 767.979 759.462 708.639 761.570 777.748
North West 1,197.551 1,413.074 1,517.018 1,491.752 1,519.498 1,531.872 1,573.071 1,531.388 1,629.770 1,711.248
Yorkshire and Humberside 902.489 1,088.756 1,157.512 1,165.507 1,198.221 1,213.150 1,222.959 1,173.759 1,269.143 1,325.565
Northern Region 603.613 719.583 757.833 742.668 753.800 758.023 774.722 712.131 794.270 847.415
Total all regions 7,370.177 8,659.158 9,000.927 9,018.844 9,067.098 9,103.989 9,128.389 9,051.010 9,455.630 9,681.819

Notes:

1. Rate support grant comprised needs, resources and domestic elements in 1979–80 and 1980–81 and block grant, domestic rate relief grant in following years.

2. The figures given are the latest available grant entitlements. These are final for the years 1979–80 to 1984–85 inclusive.