HC Deb 19 July 1994 vol 247 c107W
Mr. Rendel

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to change the capping regime for local authorities.

Mr. Curry

The Government are committed to firm control of public expenditure. The Government will announce their capping criteria as part of the local government finance settlement.

Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will continue to pay standard spending assessment reduction grant to local authorities in 1995–96; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Curry

We propose to pay standard spending assessment reduction grant for a second year, in 1995–96. I recognise that, without some form of damping grant, a number of local authorities would face significant reductions in resources. However, these authorities will by 1995–96 have had more time to bring their spending in line with their standard spending assessment. The scheme may therefore not need to be as generous as in the previous year. We will have to decide the level of SSA reduction grant later this year in the context of the overall local authority settlement.

Mr. Rendel

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to allow councils to levy additional taxes in 1995–96.

Mr. Curry

The level of council taxes in 1995–96 will depend, among other things, on authorities' spending decisions, on their collection performance and on the revenue support grant settlement, details of which will be announced later this year.