HC Deb 04 February 1997 vol 289 c794
17. Mr. Michael Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the conclusions of the standard spending assessment consultations with local authorities. [12517]

Sir Paul Beresford

On 27 January last.

Mr. Brown

May I take this opportunity to thank my hon. Friend and his colleagues at the Department for the transitional relief provisions that they were able to make for North Lincolnshire? Will he confirm that there is no need for any local authority to make any cuts in education, providing that it spends sensibly? Will he set out the opportunities that exist for local authorities to make further savings in administration costs?

Sir Paul Beresford

I think that my hon. Friend is well aware of them. In fact, there was a debate on his local authorities in the House on exactly that point. They accept, even though they protest and screech and scream, that they have a special advantage—as they are now authorities governing all local government services—that would allow them to make much greater efficiency savings than they appear willing to do.

Mr. Turner

If the Minister had visited Wolverhampton and met members of my local authority, they would have told him that the Government have imposed very serious cuts—real-terms cuts—on all standard spending assessment blocks, and that we in Wolverhampton have the worst revenue grant settlement of the 36 metropolitan districts.

Sir Paul Beresford

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman should reflect that I was leader of a local authority when its SSA was cut by 25 per cent. but that it has the best services in London.

Mr. Turner

I am talking about Wolverhampton.

Madam Speaker

The hon. Gentleman's question related to Wolverhampton. However, it is 3.15 pm. Prime Minister's Questions.