HC Deb 27 July 1998 vol 317 cc10-2W
Mr. Charles Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessments he has made of the SSA per head of population allocated to Norfolk relative to other counties in the eastern region in each year since 1992–93; and if he will publish them; [52331]

(2) if he will list (a) the SSA per head of population and (b) the annual percentage increase in SSAs for each of the counties in the Eastern Region for each year since 1992–93. [52356]

Ms Armstrong

The information requested is set out in the tables.

Table 2: The annual percentage increase in SSAs for each county in the Eastern Region 1992–93—1998–99 Percentage
Local Authority 1992–93 against Adjusted 1991–92 1993–94 against Adjusted 1992–93 1994–95 against Adjusted 1993–94 1995–96 against Adjusted 1994–95 1996–97 against Adjusted 1995–96 1997–98 against Adjusted 1996–97 1998–99 against Adjusted 1997–98
Bedfordshire (old) 9.1 4.6 2.1 -0.5 2.3 n/a n/a
Bedfordshire (new) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 2.1 4.2
Cambridgeshire (old) 7.6 2.6 3.5 1.2 3.7 1.8 n/a
Cambridgeshire (new) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 2.6
Essex (old) 8.1 3.8 3.9 -0.5 2.7 1.6 n/a
Essex (new) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 4.0
Hertfordshire 8.4 1.9 4.1 1.6 2.5 1.9 3.8
Norfolk 6.7 2.3 2.5 -0.4 4.2 2.1 1.5
Suffolk 5.9 4.0 0.6 0.5 3.6 2.5 2.3
n/a = not applicable

Notes:

1. "Old" refers to the area served by the County Council before Local Government Reorganisation; "New" refer to the area after reorganisation.

2. Adjusted SSAs are SSAs for the previous year, adjusted to allow like-with-like comparisons. They have been adjusted for changes in function and for Local Government Reorganisation.

The information supplied has been provided for those counties within the area of the Government Office for the Eastern Region.

Mr. Charles Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those services provided by county councils which his Department denotes as incurring greater costs in sparsely populated areas. [52357]

Ms Armstrong

Standard Spending Assessments include a measure of sparsity of population in relation to all services provided by county councils, other than Personal Social Services, the Fire Service, and Highway Maintenance. In the case of Highway Maintenance, the formula takes account of the length of road which is the responsibility of the council, thereby reflecting the greater needs of rural authorities which have a greater length of road per head of population than urban authorities.

Mr. Charles Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list in order of sparsity the counties of England and Wales using(a) the definition of settlement size used by the Scottish Office and (b) the definitions of sparsity and super-sparsity used in the SSA formula for England and Wales. [52354]

Ms Armstrong

A list based on the definition of sparsity and super-sparsity used in the SSA formula for England will be placed in the Library of the House. A list giving the information based on the definition of settlement size used by the Scottish Office will also be placed in the Library, if it proves practical to produce the figures.

Figures relating to Wales are a matter for the Secretary of State for Wales.

Mr. Charles Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ensure that the 1999–2000 SSA settlement does not penalise counties which historically have spent at relatively low levels. [52337]

Ms Armstrong

We shall ensure that the SSAs are as fair as can be achieved for all types of authorities.

Mr. Charles Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those indications of need in the standard spending assessment formula which measure(a) population characteristics indicating eligibility for benefits and (b) actual take-up of benefits. [52360]

Ms Armstrong

The following indicators in the Standard Spending Assessments formulae are either direct measures of actual take-up of benefits or are closely linked with take-up; children of income support claimants; elderly on income support; payments to those aged 18–64 on income support; all claimants on income support; claimants on attendance allowance; claimants of unemployment benefit; long-term claimants of unemployment benefit; young males claiming unemployment benefit; rent allowance payments; and housing benefit claimants.

The formulae include other measures of population characteristics which would tend to be associated with entitlement to benefits; but these measures are not defined in terms that indicate the numbers eligible for benefits.

A complete list of the indicators used in the Standard Spending assessment formulae is set out in the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1998–99, which the House approved on 5 February 1998.

Mr. Lansley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when his Department will publish the results of further research into the specific cost approach to the area cost adjustment within the standard spending assessment. [52405]

Ms Armstrong

The research which the Department commissioned on a specific cost approach to the area cost adjustment was completed in May. Its reports have been discussed in detail with local government representatives reflecting the range of views on area cost adjustment. We expect to announce decisions on the SSA formulae early in December.