HC Deb 04 February 1997 vol 289 cc786-8
6. Mr. Pope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the local authority associations on standard spending assessments. [12505]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Sir Paul Beresford)

We have discussions with the local authority associations on standard spending assessments several times throughout the year.

Mr. Pope

Can the Minister confirm that, following this year's financial settlement, the Government are responsible for forcing up council tax bills by more than 6 per cent.? Will he further confirm that, if Hyndburn council received the same assistance from the Government as Westminster, it would be able to give every band D council tax payer a rebate of £572? Is it not the case that we have to pay more so that Tory Westminster can pay less?

Sir Paul Beresford

I am disappointed that the hon. Gentleman, who I thought had some understanding of standard spending assessments, has taken a line that fell flat on its face last night. Let me put it the other way round. If the flagship Labour authority of Harlow was as efficient as Westminster, relative to its SSA, its band D council tax would be £10, saving local people some £180 this year. In other words, the local authorities should get their act together.

Mr. Peter Atkinson

When my right hon. Friend met councillors from the north-east of England recently and they asked him for increased SSAs and greater Government grants, did they discuss the funding of the North of England Assembly of Local Authorities? Did they tell him about the increasing burden that that authority was placing on them, and did they say that it was advertising for a new director at a salary of £60,000 a year with the duty of promoting regional government in the north-east of England? Is it not a shameful waste of public money? Is not regional government deeply unpopular in the north of England, as people know that it means heavier local taxes and jobs for the boys?

Sir Paul Beresford

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Funnily enough, the councillors forgot to mention that. We heard much pleading—there was a little of that last night. Taxpayers and council tax payers, through the SSA, have to carry an extra burden of bureaucracy that will gum up the works even more than the regional authority manages to do now.

Mr. Rendel

The Secretary of State has leaned heavily on what he describes as local government association support for his decisions on SSAs. When will the Government carry out official Conservative party policy to abolish capping which, unlike the right hon. Gentleman's policies, is supported by local government associations?

Sir Paul Beresford

I find it intriguing to be told what is official Conservative party policy. The hon. Gentleman should recognise that, while he is free with other people's money, the Government are not.

Mr. Congdon

Does my hon. Friend agree that the representations from local authorities would carry more weight if they got their house in order by managing their resources properly, and in particular embracing compulsory competitive tendering? What further action will he take to prevent local authorities from trying to deter the private sector from making bids and when they make the lowest bids, doing everything in their power to find excuses to give the contract to their own in-house direct services organisation?

Sir Paul Beresford

My hon. Friend is right. He was a member of a local authority that went down that road to the benefit of the people of Croydon. New orders were laid at the end of last month to achieve exactly what he has mentioned.