asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to repeal the provision of the Public Health Act 1936 requiring local authorities to empty dustbins; and if he will make a statement on the future of refuse collection.

£ million
			1978–79	1980–81	Increase
Warwickshire	…	…	29·7	40·1	10·4
Non-metropolitan counties	…	…	2,242·8	3,041·2	798·4

The amounts for 1978–79 are based on the proposed second increase order for that year. The amounts for 1980–81 assume that the ratio between needs and resources element of grant will be maintained and that the proposed cash limit and main order for 1980–81 will be implemented.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the needs element of the rate support grant 1980–81 will be allocated on the same basis as for 1979–80.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend made on 16 November in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr. Shelton).—[Vol. 973, c. 853–57.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the unit costing basis for the rate support grant is likely to be implemented.

Section 72 of the Public Health Act 1936 which empowers authorities to collect domestic refuse will be repealed when sections 12–14 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 are implemented. Local authorities will then have a duty to collect it. But it is, and will remain, open to any local authority to contract out its collection service in whole or in part and a small number do so. There may be scope here for greater involvement of the private sector.