§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will make known his plans for local authority capital expenditure for 1989–90.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerFollowing the autumn review of public expenditure I have decided to increase total gross provision for local authority spending in 1989–90 in Wales to £450 million. This is an increase of £34 million (8 per cent.) over 1988–89.
The increased provision allows for £10.3 million of allocations specifically to assist district councils to meet the capital costs of preparing for and implementing the community charge.
The largest percentage increase in provision goes to personal social services. This reflects the rising number of the elderly as well as the shift in the burden of care in the mental health services from the NHS to local authorities.
In further increasing the provision for education, I am recognising the need to improve the fabric of school buildings and also to invest in schools rationalisation projects which will release revenue resources for use elsewhere in the education service.
Local authorities are being notified today of their individual allocations on both housing and non-housing services including major road schemes (£39 million) and projects of regional or national importance and special projects (£12.5 million). The overall total for allocations is £337 million.
Details of the allocations for individual authorities have been placed in the Library. Allocations for schemes under the urban programme including urban development grant totalling £27 million will be announced shortly.