asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in the light of the fact that the population of Lincolnshire has increased by 16,900 or 3·29 per cent. in the last four years while the population of England and Wales has declined by 0·11 per cent., if he will now adjust the rate support grant for the year 1978–79 to include the extra £7,136,000 due to the county on the basis of the figures agreed in 1973–74.

No. The needs element of the rate support grant aims to compensate authorities for differences in their expenditure needs per head. There is no evidence that population growth necessarily leads to pro rata higher per head expenditure needs, as the Question implies.