§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is for each county in Wales the percentage increase in external support for revenue programmes from 1998–99 to 1999–2000. [65302]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThe percentage increases in external support towards standard spending assessments between 1998–99 and 1999–2000 are shown in the following table.
Percentage increase in external support towards Standard Spending Assessments between 1998–99 and 1999–20001,2 Percentage Isle of Anglesey 3.7 Gwynedd 2.9 Conwy 6.6 Denbighshire 5.8 Flintshire 5.6 Wrexham 4.9 Powys 5.5 Ceredigion 4.1 Pembrokeshire 5.7 Carmarthenshire 5.3 Swansea 4.2 Neath Port Talbot 4.4 Bridgend 5.7 The Vale of Glamorgan 5.9 Rhondda Cynon Taff 4.7 Merthyr Tydfil 5.1 Caerphilly 5.1 Blaenau Gwent 4.2 Torfaen 5.8 Monmouthshire 5.9 Newport 4.4 Cardiff 7.6 All county and county boroughs 5.2 1External support towards standard spending assessments includes revenue support grant, re-distributed non-domestic rates and council tax reduction scheme grant. 2Increases are between external support towards standard spending assessments for 1998–99, as set out in the Local Government Finance (Amendment) Report (Wales) 1998–99 which has yet to be debated by the House of Commons, and provisional 1999–2000 figures as announced by the Secretary of State for Wales on 14 December 1998.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the total cost to local government in Wales in 1999–2000 of the 2 per cent. increase in employees' pension contribution rates; and if he will make a statement. [65262]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesNo. Any increase in costs will depend on individual authorities' decisions on staffing levels. My right hon. Friend has taken into account local government's own view of need to spend in 1999–2000 in making his proposals for local government revenue204W spending; details of which were announced on 9 December 1998, Official Report, columns 229–30, and 14 December 1998, columns 390–91.