asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the distribution of the rate support grant, each year since 1972, to the latest convenient date, both in figures and percentage increases, as between county councils, district councils and metropolitan authorities: and if he will show the total of the rate support grant and the percentage increase in each of these years.

Direct comparisons cannot be made for the earlier years since the Local Government Act 1972 changed the status and boundaries of local authorities with effect from 1 April 1974. The amounts of rate support grant paid since then are:terms and expressed as a percentage of the total sum allocated.

The figures are as set out below. The needs element of RSG was paid to non-metropolitan district councils for the first time in 1979–80.