HC Deb 16 February 1999 vol 325 cc686-7W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) by social services authority and (b) in total (i) the standard spending assessment for personal social services in 1998–99, (ii) the standard spending assessment for personal social services in 1999–2000, (iii) the difference between the standard spending assessment for personal social services in 1998–99 and 1999–2000, (iv) that difference expressed as a percentage of the 1998–99 figure, (v) the special transitional grant for 1998–99, (vi) the difference between the standard spending assessment for personal social services in 1999–2000 and the standard spending assessment for personal social services for 1998–99 combined with the special transitional grant for 1998–99, (vii) the difference between the standard spending assessment for personal social services in 1999–2000 and the standard spending assessment for personal social services for 1998–99 added to the special transitional grant for 1998–99 and expressed as a percentage of the 1998–99 figure and (viii) the indicative level of specific and special grants for 1999–2000. [71319]

Mr. Jon Owen Jones

In Wales, standard spending assessments (SSAs) are not identified against specific service blocks as in England. Nor is there an equivalent of special transitional grant. Instead, each year since 1993, the Secretary of State has identified for each authority the additional indicative amount attributed to care in the community in its total SSA. The final tranche of £21 million was included in the 1998–99 general revenue settlement. Details are given in the following table.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 3 February 1999, Official Report, column 610, the local government settlement for 1999–2000 included £5 million to modernise and improve children's services. Again details of how these resources are to be distributed are given in the following table.

In addition, the Welsh Office is making available, through specific grant, £2.4 million in 1999–2000 to provide training support for personal social services.

Additional resources included in standard spending assessments for 1998–99 and 1999–200
£000
County or county borough council Additional resources for care in the community 1998–99 Additional resources for Utting 1999–2000
Blaenau Gwent 533 130
Bridgend 917 228
Caerphilly 1,158 343
Cardiff 2,092 672
Carmarthenshire 1,343 231
Ceredigion 489 101
Conwy 935 146
Denbighshire 731 137
Flintshire 941 214
Gwynedd 920 156
Isle of Anglesey 494 100
Merthyr Tydfil 435 128
Monmouthshire 560 101
Neath Port Talbot 1,093 256
Newport 920 304
Pembrokeshire 800 174
Powys 887 144
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 1,766 425
Swansea 1,685 441
Torfaen 615 184
Vale of Glamorgan (The) 790 213
Wrexham 898 207
Total county and county borough councils 21,000 5,033

Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.