Mr. Michael J. FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2001,Official Report, columns 532–33W, if he will quantify the indirect allowance made in the SSA for each fire authority in England for (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [150183]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe fire SSA is calibrated on 1990–91 expenditure data of fire authorities. This forms the basis of the underlying fire SSA formula. This expenditure data include the cost of responding the fire calls. However, these data are not detailed enough to identify what element of the base year expenditure relates to specific incidents, such as rescue activities and flooding incidents on inland waterways. It is, therefore, not possible to quantify the indirect allowance made to each fire authority for such specific incidents.