HC Deb 09 December 1997 vol 302 cc493-4W
Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the district, county and unitary councils that have not been permitted to spend above their 1990–91 capping level for each of the years from 1990–91 to 1998–99. [19476]

Mr. Raynsford

Capping levels were only set for 21 authorities in 1990–91. Of these, the following have had provisional caps at or below the level of their 1990–91 cap in the years shown:

  • Barnsley, 1992–93;
  • Basildon, 1991–92 to 1998–99;
  • Bristol, 1991–92 to 1995–96;
  • Derbyshire, 1991–92, 1993–941, 1997–982.
  • 1The cap limit was lower in 1993–94 as a result of the adjustment for the transfer of Further Education out of the local authority sector.
  • 2The cap limit was lower in 1997–98 as a result of the transfer of functions to the new unitary authority of Derby City Council.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what have been the total community charge and council tax receipts in each year since 1991–92. [19929]

Mr. Raynsford

The information requested is as follows:

£ million
1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97
Community charge 6,590 7,300 584 278 167 103
Council tax n/a n/a 6,807 7,549 8,149 8,717
These figures are the amounts received in each financial year.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the level of spending by English local authorities in each year since 1991–92; and if he will indicate the annual percentage change in real terms. [19821]

Mr. Raynsford

The information is given below. There has been a number of changes in local authority responsibilities in the period covered. In particular;in April 1993 responsibility for further education was transferred to the Further Education Funding Council; from 1994–95 onwards, Care in the Community responsibilities were transferred to local authorities; in 1997–98 budgeted expenditure decreased by some £500 million as the result of the introduction of the nursery voucher scheme.

For these reasons it is not always valid to make comparisons between years.

Net revenue expenditure—English authorities
Year Cash1(£ million) Percentage change(Real terms)2
1991–92 38,454 3.8
1992–93 40,801 1.8
1993–94 39,742 -5.3
1994–95 41,677 3.3
1995–96 43,087 0.6
1996–973 45,828 3.5
1997–984 46,486 -1.2
1Net revenue expenditure is net of all specific grants except, for years since 1995–96, police specific grants. Hence, for consistency, the figures for the years prior to 1995–96 have been adjusted to include the principal police specific grant.
2The percentage change in expenditure in real terms has been calculated by using the GDP deflator.
3Provisional Outturn.
4Budget.