HL Deb 08 July 1998 vol 591 c141WA
Lord Dean of Beswick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the details of the present formula and criteria being used to determine the levels of government financial support in the countries and regions of the United Kingdom that produce a figure in Scotland per capita of £871 in excess of that which is spent per capita of population in England; and how long these systems have been in use; and [HL2380]

What amounts of money have been apportioned each year for the last five years to England, Scotland and Wales under the Block Grant Settlement System. [HL2443]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

Changes in expenditure levels in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are determined by the long-standing population-based Barnett formula, which was adopted at the end of the 1970s and first used in 1978. It has been in continuous use since then and the Government set out the arrangements in the future in Chapter 7 ofScotland's Parliament (Cm 3658) and Chapter 4 of A Voice for Wales (Cm 3718).