§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to(a) local authorities and (b) other bodies regarding emergency planning procedures to be put in place in the event of a further disruption of fuel supplies; and if he will make a statement. [136313]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienOrganisations likely to be involved in responding to any future disruption to fuel supply have been briefed on the planned arrangements. This includes, for example, the list of designated petrol stations, and the list of Priority Purposes together with guidance on how to implement it.
Local Authorities have been kept updated through established liaison links and by the involvement of the Local Government Association in work carried out for the Fuel Task Force.
§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) actual and (b) planned spending on emergency planning in (i) each of the last five financial years, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) each of the next five financial years; and if he will make a statement. [136312]
112W
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe information requested is given in the table. The figures are for Home Office expenditure on emergency planning and include grants, which the Home Office allocates to local authorities in England and Wales as a contribution towards their emergency planning activities. However, it is worth noting that other Government departments also have an interest in emergency management, and provide funding that supports recruitment of specialist staff, equipment purchase and academic research.
The Spending Review 2000 exercise, recently completed by Her Majesty's Treasury, has looked forward to the three years 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–4. Budget allocations for these years have not yet been finalised within the overall Home Office settlement.
Figures for 2004–05 and 2005–06 will be established in subsequent spending round reviews.
Home Office gross expenditure on emergency planning £ million Actual Planned 1995–96 33 36 1996–97 34 33 1997–98 31 29 1998–99 29 29 1999–2000 38 36 2000–01 136 36 1 Estimate
§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons his Department's grant for emergency planning in Shropshire was reduced between 1999 and 2001. [136836]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe reorganisation of local government necessitated the introduction of a new distribution mechanism for Civil Defence grant which was announced to local authority chief executives in May 1999. The three-tier system includes a basic allocation, a sum for County Councils in respect of Shire Districts and a final element based on population size.
The allocation to Shropshire County Council has fallen between 1999–2000, and the proposed allocation for 2001–02. However, part of this reduction is offset by an increase in funding to the unitary authority of Telford and Wrekin which was formerly part of the county.