Vol. 483 No. 3
303 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether he will initiate changes with particular reference to increased grant aid to the small sanitary services and water schemes operated by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20572/97]
Under the devolved arrangements notified to local authorities on 26 March 1997 the small water and sewerage schemes programme was extended to include all public schemes with an estimated cost of less than £250,000. An overall allocation of £7 million was provided for this programme in 1997 and the amount to be allocated in 1998 has yet to be decided. I have no proposals at present to change either the £250,000 limit or the 75 per cent maximum rate of grant aid available to local authorities for schemes under this programme.
