asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sums have been paid to the Derbyshire county council in the form of rate support grant for each of the years since 1970.

The amounts paid in rate support grant to the Derbyshire county council for each of the years 1970–71 to 1977–78 and that currently being paid for 1978–79 are as follows:

	£
1970–71	31,983,797
1971–72	37,120,647
1972–73	42,814,594
1973–74	52,484,809
1974–75	44,993,104
1975–76	56,753,154
1976–77	61,007,522
1977–78	60,538,571
1978–79	66,641,017

For the years 1970–71 to 1973–74, these figures include the payments made to the former Derby county borough whose major functions were transferred to the county council in the local government re-organisation in 1974. They include both the needs and resources elements of RSG which were payable to these authorities at that time. Since 1974–75, county councils have received only the needs element direct.