Index of Multiple Deprivation (Hansard, 25 January 2000)

§ Mr. Coleman
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to what peer review by academics the methods devised by the consultants employed by his Department to compile the proposed new index of multiple deprivation will be subjected before it is used as the basis for distributing regeneration resources. [106284]

§ Ms Beverley Hughes
The 1999 Review of the Index of Local Deprivation is being carried out by the University of Oxford. In addition to the review being overseen by an inter-department steering committee, the University of Oxford have consulted an advisory panel (with over 40 members) throughout the review. The advisory panel has consisted of a large number of peer academics both in and outside of the University of Oxford, as well as local authority officials, research professionals and others.
The University of Oxford have also facilitated extensive consultation throughout the 1999 Review. Respondents to the consultation have included other Government Departments, local authorities, research organisations, academics and other organisations.

§ Mr. Coleman
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the money allocated annually to London boroughs through SRB and European grants will be lost if the new proposed index of multiple deprivation is used as the basis for allocating regeneration resources; and if he will make a statement. [106283]

§ Ms Beverley Hughes
The 2000 Spending Review, currently underway, will determine funding levels from 2001–02 to 2003–04 for all domestic regeneration programmes. It will take into account the new Index of Local Deprivation as well as other factors.
144W
The SRB 6 Bidding Guidance, issued in December 1999, made it clear that the 65 most deprived authorities in the 1998 Index are eligible to bid for funding for comprehensive schemes even if they do not rank as highly when the 1999 Index is issued.
Resources from European Structural Funds have been allocated for the period 2000 to 2006 on the basis of the 1998 Index. London is expected to receive £160 million.

§ Mr. Coleman
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what criteria the new indicators of deprivation were used as the basis for the proposed index of multiple deprivation; and if he will make a statement. [106282]

§ Ms Beverley Hughes
The 1999 Review of the Index of Local Deprivation is being carried out by the University of Oxford. A consultation on the domains and indicators for inclusion in the 1999 index took place from 2 July 1999 and 16 August 1999. Over 125 responses were received and were carefully considered and reported on in a further paper 'Methodology for an Index of Multiple Deprivation' released by the University for consultation on 2 December 1999. This paper outlined the final list of domains and indicators for inclusion in the 1999 index.
Domains for inclusion in the 1999 Index;

Income deprivation

Employment deprivation

Health deprivation and disability

Housing deprivation

Education, skills and training deprivation

Geographical access to services.

In the report 'Measuring Deprivation at the Local Level' which was published by The University of Oxford in spring 1999, the criteria for the indicators which will make up the 1999 index were set out.
The criteria for the indicators were that they should be: 'domain specific' and appropriate for the purpose (that is being a direct measure for that form of deprivation) measure major features of that deprivation (not conditions just experienced by a very small number of people or areas) as up-to-date possible capable of being updated on a regular basis statistically robust nationally available at a small area level.
The responses to the final consultation of the 1999 Review of the Index of Local Deprivation are currently being analysed and a new index will be published in the spring.

§ Mr. Coleman
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the data underlying the new proposed index of multiple deprivation. [106285]

§ Ms Beverley Hughes
The 1999 review of the Index of Local Deprivation is being carried out by the University of Oxford. The University has carried out a consultation exercise on the methodology of the 1999 Index. The consultation closed on Monday 17 January having run for a period of six weeks.
145W
The consultation paper "Methodology for an Index of Multiple Deprivation" set out the methodological techniques the University of Oxford propose to employ in constructing the 1999 Index. The responses to the consultation are currently being analysed by the University in close conjunction with DETR.
The final 1999 Index (due to be published in spring 2000) along with a summary report will include local authorities scores and ranks. This data will be presented for the whole of England at the ward and district level. The scores and ranks at the ward level will be available for each domain (income, work, health and disability, education, skills and training, housing and geographical access to services) and also be presented in a final composite Index.
The final published report will contain details about where to obtain the raw data used to construct the 33 indicators.