HC Deb 09 May 2000 vol 349 cc361-2W
32. Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the trend in the level of external local authority debt in the last three years for which figures are available. [120172]

Ms Beverley Hughes

The trend in the level of external debt of local authorities in England is broadly flat. Total external debt has been estimated at about £37 billion at end March in each of the years 1997, 1998 and 1999.