asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what criteria his Department employs in determining disposition of key sector capital expenditure between local authorities;(2) what methods his Department employs in communicating to local authorities any existing criteria for determining the disposition of key sector capital expenditure between local authorities.

Services which fall within the key sector are listed in the annex to D.O.E. Circular 2/70 (Welsh Office 116/70). Certain changes in these have been made which take effect on 1st April, 1972, and details are set out in Circular 66/71 (Welsh Office 138/71). The circulars grant consent to the borrowing of any sum required for a key sector purpose which has been approved by the relevant Secretary of State or Minister. The criteria adopted to determine whether such approval shall be given varies from Department to Department.