HC Deb 20 November 1990 vol 181 cc70-1W
Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish tables showing the cost of expenditure in magistrates courts for each of the last 10 years; and if he will set down in tabular form the percentage of these costs for each year met from local authority funds.

Mr. John Patten

Local authority expenditure on magistrates' courts in England and Wales and the amount of central Government grant paid in support of this expenditure since 1980–81 is set out in the table. Grant is paid at a rate of 80 per cent. of net current expenditure. Before the present financial year, capital expenditure was supported by grant at 80 per cent. payable only in respect of revenue contributions and loan charges. Since April 1990 capital grant is paid at 80 per cent. on approved capital expenditure and on loans incurred before that date. Grant is not necessarily paid in the same year as that in which the expenditure is incurred.

Expenditure on magistrates' courts
(1) Total expenditure (current and capital)1 (£ million) (2) Central government grants in support of (1) (£ million) Local government expenditure as a proportion of total (1) minus (2) as a percentage of (1)
1980–81 102 85 17
1981–82 114 101 11
1982–83 124 105 15
1983–84 139 114 18
1984–85 152 121 20
1985–86 161 128 20
1986–87 178 134 25
1987–88 213 153 28
1988–89 235 170 28
1989–90 2273 187 32
1990–91 307 3280 9
1 Excluding loan charges.
2 Provisional figure.
3 Estimate.