§ Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the independent review of the standard spending assessment; and when the report will be published. [13393]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe Department has not set up an independent review of standard spending assessments. The calculation of standard spending assessments is regularly discussed with the Local Government Association in the Standard Spending Assessments Sub-group. In addition, the review of local government finance, which is being carried out in consultation with the Local Government Association, is considering the role62W of needs assessment in the allocation of central government grant to local authorities. I expect this part of the review to report next spring.