§ Sir Paul BeresfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what was the standard spending assessment for Surrey County Council for each of the last 10 years in(a) all services, (b) education, (c) the police and (d) personal social services; and what forecast he has made of the level of Surrey's spending needs in the next financial year; [60038]
(2) what was the standard spending assessment for each London borough for each of the last 10 years in (a) all services, (b) education, (c) the police and (d) personal social services; and what forecast he has made of changes in the level of London boroughs' spending needs in the next financial year. [60050]
§ Ms ArmstrongStandard Spending Assessments were first used for the distribution of Revenue Support Grant in 1990–91. The information requested can be found in the relevant "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook" from 1990–91 to 1998–99, copies of which were placed in the Library. We will announce our proposals for Standard Spending Assessments for 1999–2000 around the usual time in late November to early December.
§ Sir Paul BeresfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what contribution the area cost adjustment made to the standard spending assessment of each London borough in respect of(a) all services, (b) education, (c) the police and (d) personal social services in each of the last 10 years; [60046]
(2) what contribution the area cost adjustment made to the standard spending assessment which Surrey received in respect of (a) all services, (b) education, (c) the police and (d) personal social services in each of the last 10 years; [60051]
(3) how much cost adjustment each London borough received for each of the last 10 years; and what was the proportion of area cost adjustment to standard spending assessment in each of those years; [60047]
(4) how much area cost adjustment Surrey has received for each of the last 10 financial years; and what was the proportion of area cost adjustment to standard spending assessment in each year. [60037]
341W
§ Ms ArmstrongStandard Spending Assessments were first used for the distribution of Revenue Support Grant in 1990–91. The area cost adjustment used in Standard Spending Assessments for each local authority is set out for the relevant years in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) and its amendment reports from 1990–91 to 1992–93 and in the Local Government Finance Report (England) from 1993–94 to 1998–99.
The contribution of the area cost adjustment to standard spending assessments as a proportion of the total standard spending assessment, and the contribution of the area cost adjustment to standard spending assessments for (a) all services, (b) education, (c) the police and (d) personal social services, for each local authority for 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1998–99 are set out in tables which have been placed in the Library. For earlier years the information is not available. An approximation to much of the information requested for those years can be found in the "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook" for each year, copies of which were placed in the Library.
§ Sir Paul BeresfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what options he is considering for changes to the criteria for the area cost adjustment for the London boroughs in next year's financial settlement; and if he will list the financial implications of each option; [60048]
(2) what options he is considering for changes to the criteria for the area cost adjustment for Surrey in next year's financial settlement; and if he will outline the financial implications of each option. [60036]
§ Ms ArmstrongThe Report of the Standard Spending Assessments Sub-Group for 1999–2000 identified a range of options for changing the Area Cost Adjustment and provided exemplifications of their effect for individual authorities. A copy of the Report is available in the House Library.