§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much capital receipts from council house sales and so on are currently held and unable to be spent by Nottingham city council due to current restrictions; and what were the figures for each of the years since the restrictions were introduced.
§ Mr. Robin SquireSeparate figures for set aside capital receipts are not held centrally. Such receipts are included within an authority's provision for credit liabilities. That provision is available for repaying debt and meeting payments under credit arrangements. The provision for credit liabilities, and the outstanding debt, reported by Nottingham city council were as follows: 227W
Provision for Credit Liabilities Outstanding Debt (£ million) (£ million) 1 April 1990 41 1— 1 April 1991 52 355 1 April 1992 61 356 1Not available.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will lift restrictions on Nottingham city council to allow it to spend the capital receipts which it currently holds.
§ Mr. Robin SquireLocal authorities may currently spend 25 per cent. of their capital receipts from the sale of council houses and 50 per cent. of most other receipts. The balance may be used to meet credit liabilities. If authorities were allowed to spend a larger proportion of their receipts, the total of spending by the public sector and the public sector borrowing requirement would be increased. We therefore have no plans to change these arrangements.