§ Mr. GowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has sent to the letter dated 14 December 1989 from the treasurer of Eastbourne borough council concerning the figure for the resident population of the borough for the purpose of calculating its standard spending assessment; and if he will make an amending report.
§ Mr. Chope[holding answer 1 February 1990]This letter was acknowledged and treated as a representation from the council about the intended contents of the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England). My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State considered the council's point, along with those of other authorities which had made representations, before reaching his decisions. Those decisions were embodied in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) laid before the House on 11 January and approved on 18 January. A copy of that report has been sent to Eastbourne borough council.
My right hon. Friend decided not to adopt the suggestion put forward by the council but to use population estimates produced by the Registrar General for England and Wales as he initially proposed. We have no plans to change this or to make an amendment report at present.