Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975

Grants

12 Rate support grants

The provisions of the Act of 1966 relating to rate support grants shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in Schedule 2 to this Act.

13 Removal of limit on contributions to local authorities under Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Act 1944

(1) The limit of £60 million which by subsection (5) of section 1 of the [1944 c. 26.] Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Act 1944 is imposed on the amount of the contributions which may be made under that section out of money provided by Parliament towards the expenses of local authorities in Scotland in respect of rural water supplies and sewerage is hereby removed ; and accordingly for that subsection there shall be substituted the following subsection:—

“(5) Any contributions made under this section shall be defrayed out of money provided by Parliament.”

(2) In subsection (1) above references to subsection (5) of section 1 of the said Act of 1944 are references to that subsection as applied to Scotland by section 7 of that Act.

14 Termination of certain existing grants for roads and public transport

(1) Subject to subsection (3) below, on and after 16th May 1975 the power of the Secretary of State—

(a) to make advances to a local highway authority under section 8 of the [1909 c. 47.] Development and Road Improvement Funds Act 1909 (towards expenditure incurred in the construction and improvement of principal roads, surveys in connection therewith, and the provision of facilities associated with such roads), and

(b) to make grants to a local authority under section 34(2) of the [1968 c. 73.] Transport Act 1968 (towards expenditure incurred in making grants to provide assistance for rural bus or ferry services and in the provision of such ferry services), and

(c) to make grants to any person under section 56(1) of the Transport Act 1968 (towards capital expenditure incurred or to be incurred in the provision, improvement or development of facilities for public passenger transport),

shall cease to be exercisable except in a case where it appears to the Secretary of State that the whole or any part of any expenditure in respect of which any such advances or grants as aforesaid could be made should not fall on the local highway authority, local authority or person concerned, as the case may be.

(2) As from the beginning of the year 1978-79 the power of the Secretary of State to make grants to a Passenger Transport Executive under section 20(8) of the [1968 c. 73.] Transport Act 1968 (towards expenditure incurred by the Executive for certain areas in pursuance of agreements with the Railways Board for die provision of railway passenger services) shall cease to be exercisable, except in a case where it appears to the Secretary of State that the whole or any part of any expenditure in respect of which any such grants as aforesaid could be made should not fall on the Passenger Transport Executive.

(3) In any case where—

(a) it appears to the Secretary of State that any person other than a local authority has before 16th May 1975 entered upon a course of expenditure of a capital nature such as is referred to in section 56(1) of the Transport Act 1968, and

(b) the Secretary of State has approved before 16th May 1975 the making of a grant or grants towards that expenditure under that section,

then, notwithstanding anything in subsection (1) above, the Secretary of State may, on or after 16th May 1975, make to that person under that section any grant which he considers appropriate in the light of that approval.

15 Termination of existing grants to local authorities for certain other purposes

(1) The Secretary of State may from time to time, by order, provide that, with effect from such year as may be specified in the order, no grant shall be paid under any such local authority grant provision as may be so specified or that no grant shall be so paid except in respect of expenditure of a description so specified.

(2) In subsection (1) above " local authority grant provision " means an enactment providing for the payment of grants to local authorities in respect of expenditure incurred in connection with a specific function.

(3) An order under this section may contain provision amending, repealing or revoking, with or without savings, any enactment.

(4) No order under this section shall have effect unless it is approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.