§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the authorities whose social services spending allocations for 1990–91 is(a) greater and (b) less than the grant-related expenditure allocation for 1988–90; what are the gains and losses in percentage and cost terms; if he will list the child care gainers and losers on the same basis and what are the average net cash allocations for both.
§ Mr. ChopeI have today placed in the Library a table covering both children's and total social services, which shows 1989–90 GRE's, 1990–91 SSA's and the difference between the two in cash and percentage terms for each social services authority in England.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the reasons for gains and losses in(a) social services spending allocation 1990 and (b) child care allocation between different local authorities; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeThe new social services standard spending assessments are largely based on independent research evidence and were the subject of lengthy discussions with local authority representatives. The consequent changes in the method of calculating standard spending assessments (formerly grant-related expenditure assessments) between 1989–90 and 1990–91, and the complexity of the previous formula, make it impossible to identify in detail the reasons for differences in either total social services or children's services allocations between different authorities.