§ Mr. FlightTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what weighting was given in the recent provisional revenue support grant figures for West Sussex county council to(a) pressures on social services for the elderly, (b) changes in transport costs for education and social services and (c) flood damage in West Sussex caused by last year's heavy rains; and if he will make a statement. [23653]
§ Dr. WhiteheadThe Government looked at the pressures facing local government when setting the spending plans for 2001–02 to 2003–04 in the Spending Review 2000. Those spending plans provide for good increases in grant to local authorities overall. Our proposals for the funding of local authority revenue expenditure next year provide real terms increases for education, social services and environmental, protective and cultural services. The proposals include the £300 million over the SR2000 plans which the Government have provided for this year and the next to assist councils in building care capacity.
In allocating the overall level of funding between authorities, the SSA formulae recognise that pressures on social services are higher for some authorities than for others. For example, they take account of the size of the elderly population in each authority and other factors such as deprivation. General grant to West Sussex in 2002–03 under our proposals is £343 million which is an increase of £22.5 million or 7 per cent. on a like for like comparison. This is above the average for comparable authorities.
23WThe Government have also provided £26 million in emergency financial assistance through the Bellwin scheme to councils affected by flood damage as a result of last year's heavy rains. West Sussex county council received £6 million. Revenue expenditure by West Sussex on flood defence not covered through the Bellwin scheme is taken account of in the calculation of West Sussex's flood defence SSA.
In addition, recognising the severity of last year's floods, the Environment Agency in Sussex has benefited from £1.1 million for emergency response and repair costs and £0.2 million for design and feasibility costs of river strategies. It will also receive a grant for the capital programme of £9.6 million in 2002–03.