§ Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of money available in(a) local government, (b) county councils, and (c) West Sussex county council can be switched between budgets by council decisions. [4792]
§ Dr. WhiteheadI have been asked to reply.
According to statistical returns submitted to my Department, local authorities in England have budgeted for £61,158 million of general revenue expenditure in 2001–02. That is funded from general and ring fenced grants from central Government, council tax income, and reserves. Of that total amount, £6,470 million is budgeted 612W by authorities responsible for only a single service such as police or fire; by definition, that money cannot be switched to spend on a different service. For other authorities, all these sources of funding except for ring fenced grants can be switched between service budgets. The proportions that can be switched between service budgets are:
- (a) for local government as a whole (other than single service authorities). 91 per-cent.;
- (b) for county councils, 91 per-cent.;
- (c) for West Sussex county council, 93 per-cent.