HC Deb 08 December 1997 vol 302 cc417-9W
Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the effect on local authority costs of inflation at 2.75 per cent. per annum during the period 1997–98 to 1999–2000. [18803]

Mr. Raynsford

The impact of inflation on local authority costs would depend on the rate of increase in prices for the particular services and goods purchased by authorities.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for 1998–99 the annual(a) SSA and (b) capping limit for Harrogate Borough Council for each year between 1990–91 and 1998–99. [19474]

Mr. Raynsford

The Standard Spending Assessment and capping limit for Harrogate Borough Council for each year between 1990–91 and 1998–99 is as follows:

£ million
SSA Capping limit
1990–911 8.679 —
1991–922 11.119 15.000
1992–93 11.663 15.000
1993–94 11.718 15.234
1994–95 12.841 15234
1995–96 12.594 15.234
1996–97 11.867 14.936
1997–98 11.853 14.942
1998–993 12.925 14.942
1 Harrogate Borough Council was not given a capping limit.
2 Harrogate Borough Council had a budget less than £15 million and under the capping regime of 1991–92 the cap limit was effectively 15 million.
3 The 1998–99 SSA and capping limit are provisional.

Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for 1998–99 the proposed(a) revenue support grants and (b) standard spending assessments for (i) district councils and (ii) shire councils as a sum per head of their populations ranked and numbered in descending order. [19526]

Mr. Raynsford

As the tables showing the figures for shire districts and shire countries are lengthy, I have placed them in the Library.

Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the percentage changes in(a) standard spending assessments and (b) revenue support grants for (i) shire counties and (ii) district councils between the settlement for 1997–98 and the proposals for 1998–99, ranked and numbered in descending order. [19525]

Mr. Raynsford

The figures for shire counties and shire districts are shown in tables which I have placed in the Library. The 1997–98 figures for Revenue Support Grant and Standard Spending Assessments are not comparable with the provisional figures for 1998–99 because of changes in local authority functions (e.g. in relation to under-fives) and local government reorganisation (for 1998–99 this affects the county areas of Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Devon, Essex, Hereford and Worcester/Worcestershire, Kent Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Shropshire).