Mr. John McCarthy:

The focus of central government revenue-related funding to local authorities very much relates to the issue of local property tax issue. If one looks at the period from 2014 to 2017, the proportion of revenue funding for local authorities generally and nationally has reduced in terms of the reliance on rates. In 2014, it would have accounted for approximately 36% of revenue funding. In 2017, it was 33%. Its proportionate share has decreased slightly but certainly the restraint in respect of rates has been very much the call from the centre in recent years. In large measure, that has been respected but, again, colleagues from the local authorities may want to comment on that.