Local Government Finance (Hansard, 30 October 1989)

§ Mr. David Nicholson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total spending and the total number of full-time equivalent staff employed by(a) all local authorities in England and (b) all local authorities 75W within the counties of Somerset, Avon and Gloucestershire, taken together, for the years 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75 and 1988–89, respectively.

a. All local authorities in England (thousands)

Staffing position in June

Expenditure¹ £ million Total f.t.e. Total no Full-time no Part-time no

1971–72 3,123 n.a. 2,103 1,411 692

1972–73 3,661 n.a. 2,205 1,472 733

1973–74 4,218 n.a. 2,310 1,526 784

1974–75² 5,531 n.a. 2,299 1,493 806

1988–89^{3 4} 1,862 2,440 1,486 954

1988–89^{4 5} 25,403 1,930 2,514 1,548 966

b. All local authorities within the counties of Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire⁶ (thousands)

Staffing position at June

Expenditure¹ £ million Total f.t.e. Total no Full-time no Part-time no

1974–75² 188 n.a. n.a n.a. n.a.

1988–89^{3 4} n.a. 94 54 39

1988–89^{4 5} 909 n.a. 95 55 39

n.a. = Not available.

¹ Available information about net spending in 1974–75 and earlier is denned as Rate Fund Revenue Account service expenditure on employees and running expenses, less sales, fees, charges, specific grants and other income. Other income excludes rate support grant and rate/precept income. The information for 1988–89 is, as far as possible, on the same basis as earlier years.

² Local authority responsibility for water, sewerage and health were transferred to regional water and regional health authorities. An estimated 90,000 employees were transferred to these authorities and to passenger transport executives.

³ For comparability with data for earlier years (where available) these staffing figures cover local authority general services and police; all other law and order staff and agency staff are excluded since these figures were not collected before 1975.

⁴ During 1986 and 1987 approximately 21,000 employees were transferred out of the local authority sector following the abolition of the metropolitan county councils and the GLC, and the change in status of local authority bus and municipal airport staff.

⁵ Includes all local authority services.

⁶ Expenditure information is not readily available for individual authorities before 1974–75 and staffing information for individual authorities is not available centrally prior to 1979. Comprehensive full time equivalent figures for individual authorities are not held locally.

§ Mr. Ralph Howell
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what is his estimate of(a) the cost and (b) the number of the extra staff and other expenditure arising from the changes to the community charge announced in October.

§ Mr. David Hunt
My officials are in discussions with the local authority associations about the costs of preparing for transitional relief and about the costs of administration. In addition we are commissioning a study by consultants of these costs. Estimates of the costs will be made in the light of the discussions with the associations and the findings of the study. It is the Goverment's intention that a reasonable level of costs will be met in full.

§ Dr. John Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide updates of tables J. 5 to J. 9 on pages 124 to 127 of Cmnd. 9714 "Paying for Local Government", for England only, incorporating the latest announcements on safety nets and transitional relief.

§ Mr. Chris Patten
Updated estimates of the distributional impact of the new system of local government finance will be provided next month after I have announced my proposals on the distribution of standard spending grant for 1990–91. These will include the impact of safety nets and transitional relief.
76W

§ Mr. Chope
The available information is as follows:

a. All local authorities in England (thousands)
	Staffing position in June
	Expenditure¹ £ million	Total f.t.e.	Total no	Full-time no	Part-time no
1971–72	3,123	n.a.	2,103	1,411	692
1972–73	3,661	n.a.	2,205	1,472	733
1973–74	4,218	n.a.	2,310	1,526	784
1974–75²	5,531	n.a.	2,299	1,493	806
1988–89^{3 4}		1,862	2,440	1,486	954
1988–89^{4 5}	25,403	1,930	2,514	1,548	966

b. All local authorities within the counties of Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire⁶ (thousands)
	Staffing position at June
	Expenditure¹ £ million	Total f.t.e.	Total no	Full-time no	Part-time no
1974–75²	188	n.a.	n.a	n.a.	n.a.
1988–89^{3 4}		n.a.	94	54	39
1988–89^{4 5}	909	n.a.	95	55	39
n.a. = Not available.
¹ Available information about net spending in 1974–75 and earlier is denned as Rate Fund Revenue Account service expenditure on employees and running expenses, less sales, fees, charges, specific grants and other income. Other income excludes rate support grant and rate/precept income. The information for 1988–89 is, as far as possible, on the same basis as earlier years.
² Local authority responsibility for water, sewerage and health were transferred to regional water and regional health authorities. An estimated 90,000 employees were transferred to these authorities and to passenger transport executives.
³ For comparability with data for earlier years (where available) these staffing figures cover local authority general services and police; all other law and order staff and agency staff are excluded since these figures were not collected before 1975.
⁴ During 1986 and 1987 approximately 21,000 employees were transferred out of the local authority sector following the abolition of the metropolitan county councils and the GLC, and the change in status of local authority bus and municipal airport staff.
⁵ Includes all local authority services.
⁶ Expenditure information is not readily available for individual authorities before 1974–75 and staffing information for individual authorities is not available centrally prior to 1979. Comprehensive full time equivalent figures for individual authorities are not held locally.