§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the annual grant to the national heritage memorial fund from his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what is the budget figure for 1989–90 and the estimates to 1992–93.
§ Mr. TrippierGrant-in-aid to the National Heritage Memorial Fund from the Department is as follows:
the likely amount of non-domestic rates which they will collect in 1990–91. Meanwhile I have placed in the Library the Government's own preliminary estimates of the amount which each charging authority in England will collect and the actual amount which each authority will receive from the national non-domestic rating pool. In addition, of course, authorities will receive revenue support grant so that (subject to the effect of the safety net) a standard level of service can broadly be provided everywhere in England for the same community charge. So authorities are compensated for any net outflow of business rate income to the extent necessary to enable them to provide this standard level of service.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received concerning the uniform business rate; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend has received a great many representations about the uniform business rate and the non-domestic revaluation. The Government believe that there is general acceptance that the new system will remove the distortions caused by widely varying local poundages and outdated rateable values and will, once the transition is complete, make rates a much more predictable and stable element of business costs than has been the case in the past.