asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to withdraw or modify his Circular 171/74 relating to restrictions on staff numbers by local authorities.

Circular 171/74 related to the 1975–76 rate support grant settlement, and has been succeeded by subsequent circulars relating to the corresponding settlements for 1976–77 and 1977–78. There will be a circular on the 1978–79 settlement in due course.The restraint on local authority expenditure since 1975–76 has led to a fall in local authority manpower. It is, of course, for the local authorities to decide on their staffing policies in the light of the public expenditure situation.