asked the Minister for the Environment the financial increase he has allocated towards technical assistance grants during 1981.

The technical assistance grants scheme operated by my Department was terminated with effect from 11 February 1980 with an undertaking that applications received before that date would be considered and that commitments already entered into would be honoured. Grants paid in 1980 amounted to £23,673 and a sum of £2,000 has been included in the relevant subhead of the Vote for 1981 to meet outstanding claims.

Can the Minister of State say why the grant scheme towards technical assistance was abolished?

Following a review of the public capital programme this scheme was terminated with effect from 11 February 1980. It was comparable with other schemes operated by the Department of Agriculture and by the Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and it was terminated on the same date.

I am not asking for the history of the date it was terminated. I am asking for the reason it was terminated.

Money was more urgently needed for other projects.

——than encouraging Department of the Environment schemes. Is the Minister of State saying that the grants towards computerising local government services were considered not to be important?

They were important but we had to consider the overall situation, especially with the demands on the public purse——

——and they got chopped.

Question No. 39 is for written reply.

The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.