HC Deb 28 February 1991 vol 186 c585W
Sir Richard Luce

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in his review of the financing of local government, he will make it his policy to reassess the criteria for the standard spending assessment so as to reduce the disparity in per capita support for the Adur district as against its neighbouring district.

Mr. Portillo

Standard spending assessments are calculated in the same way for all authorities according to the formulae set out in the revenue support grant distribution report approved by the House of Commons. These formulae followed extensive analysis and research which was fully discussed with the local authority associations. We are always willing to consider any new evidence with a view to making changes to SSAs in future should that prove necessary.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grant per poll tax payer is received by(a) Nottingham and (b) Westminster.

Mr. Key

Government grants in 1990–91 consist of revenue support grant, special grants, specific grants in aggregate Exchequer finance, community charge benefit grant and transitional relief grant. Government grants per head of relevant population were £358 in Nottingham and £980 in Westminster.

Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update the information on numbers of people and percentages of liable adults paying the poll tax, by county, provided in his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 26 November 1991,Official Report, column 259, to give the information as of 31 December.

Mr. Key

I am arranging for the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Gould

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dagenham of 8 February,Official Report, column 263, if he will publish a table showing in rank order the estimated percentage rise in average business rate bills, by local authority, between 1990–91 and 1991–92 taking account of transitional arrangements.

Mr. Heseltine

[holding answer 22 February 1991]: I have today placed in the Library a table showing for each local authority the estimated percentage rise in average non-domestic rate bills in cash terms between 1990–91 and 1991–92. These estimates are based on the local rating list on 1 April 1990 and do not take account of subsequent changes in rateable value or of additions to or deletions from the list.