HC Deb 05 December 1990 vol 182 cc114-5W
Mr. Harry Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table in theOfficial Report based upon the information contained in annex VIII of his local government finance statement of 31 October, showing for each local authority area listed on pages 2 to 13 (a) income from the community charge for standard spending, (b) business rate income and (c) revenue support grant, in each case as a percentage of their standard spending assessment, with each local authority being listed in ascending order according to the percentage size of their revenue support grant.

Mr. Key

Revenue support grant (RSG) and business rate income are distributed to charging authorities so that if each notifiable authority spent at the level appropriate to provide a standard level of service, all charging authorities could set a charge at the community charge for standard spending of £380.41. As the cost of providing a standard level of service, measured by the standard spending assessment (SSA) varies with the demographic, social and physical characteristics of an area—the proportions of SSA met from RSG and business rates also varies. Uniquely the SSA for the City of London does not reflect the cost of providing a standard level of service.

Full details of the distribution of RSG and business rates for 1991–92 are set out in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) approved on 18 January and the draft Revenue Support Grant Distribution (Amendment) Report (England) published on 31 October.

I have today placed in the Library a table showing for each receiving authority area in England the information requested, together with an additional column containing the percentage of standard spending assessment (SSA) met by total external support, that is, the sum of business rate income, revenue support grant, area protection grant and the inner London education grant. The SSA for a receiving authority area is calculated by summing the SSAs per adult of the receiving authority and of all notifiable authorities precepting on that receiving authority and multiplying by its relevant population.