§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the statement by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 7 November (HL Deb, col. 262), (a) when, (b) with what regularity, and (c) in what ways they "have been changing the Barnett formula at the margins". [HL1333]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Barnett formula is updated in spending reviews, for example in relation to population shares, and departmental comparability factors. The population shares and comparability factors used in the 2000 spending review were published in theStatement of Funding Policy in July 2000.
§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the statement by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 7 November (HL Deb, col. 262), whether the fact that the Barnett formula is "updated in each spending review to reflect current circumstances in each country" constitutes a 125WA commitment on the part of the Government to its annual revision.[HL1334]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe fact that the Barnett formula is updated in each spending review does not constitute a commitment to its annual revision because spending reviews do not take place every year. It was updated in the 1998 and 2000 spending reviews.
§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the statement by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 7 November (HL Deb, col 262), in what circumstances they would not seek an update of the Barnett formula in each spending review as a means of reflecting circumstances in each nation within the United Kingdom. [HL1335]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Barnett formula used in the 2000 spending review is based on population shares and departmental comparability factors published in theStatement of Funding Policy in July 2000 and is updated where necessary in these respects in each spending review.