§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of local authorities he estimates will be fully funded for the cost of implementing the Travel Concessions Eligibility Bill; and which local authorities he estimates will not be fully compensated for the cost. [39013]
§ Ms KeebleThe Government will take into account in setting the spending totals in the Spending Review the additional cost on local government overall of the Travel Concessions (Eligibility) Act 2002. Provision will be included in the 2003–04 general grant for local authorities, and it will be for councils to decide their spending priorities in the light of their responsibilities and the wishes of their electorate. It is not possible to identify provision for a particular responsibility within general grant, and the grant for individual councils will not, in any case, be available until the provisional local government finance settlement is announced at the end of the year.