§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of state for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority respecting the provisional standard spending assessment and capping criteria; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloMy right hon. Friend has had no discussions with the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority on his proposals for the 1992–93 local government finance settlement, nor during the consultation period did he receive any representations from the authority on these matters. My right hon. and noble Friend, the Minister of State for the Home Office, met a delegation from the authority on 23 January 1992 to discuss their review of standards of fire cover.
My right hon. Friend laid the Revenue Support Grant Report (England) 1992–93 and associated reports before the House on Friday 24 January. The SSA for Merseyside fire and civil defence authority for 1992–93 is £45.859 million, an increase of 7.4 per cent. on 1991–92, and, as a result of changes in underlying data, £12,000 greater than the provisional SSA proposed on 26 November. The authority's SSA per adult (£44) is the highest of the metropolitan fire and civil defence authorities.
My right hon. Friend reaffirmed on 23 January that he remained minded to adopt as capping criteria the provissional criteria announced on 26 November. On the basis of these criteria, the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority could set a budget 7.4 per cent. higher than for 1991–92 without falling to be designated for capping.