HC Deb 31 October 1984 vol 65 cc1043-4W
Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his Department's estimates of the comparative needs of old people from social services departments in inner London and in outer London, respectively; and what the effects of ratecapping would be on them in each case.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The need to spend on personal social services for old people is reflected in individual local authorities' grant-related expenditure assessments, which form the basis for distributing block grant. Comparative figures for PSS GREs are given in the GRE technical handbook, a copy of which is in the Library. Those London authorities responsible for PSS which have been selected for rate limitation in 1985–86 will have to decide how to accommodate their spending on personal social services within their overall expenditure level..