§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the representations by the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority in respect of the financial difficulties facing it in carrying out its statutory duties; if he intends to meet members of the authority as requested; if he is reviewing its standard spending assessment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KeyOur reply of 25 February to Merseyside fire and civil defence authority's letter made clear that we did not consider it appropriate to meet the authority to discuss its budget. We have taken our decisions on the revenue support grant settlement for 1992–93, under which the authority's standard spending assessment increases by 7.4 per cent., but we are prepared to consider any new evidence on SSAs for the future.