HC Deb 11 March 2002 vol 381 cc738-9W
Mr. Mark Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the real terms cash and percentage increase in the(a) standard spending assessment between 1997–98 and 2001–02, (b) revenue support grant between 1997–98 and 2001–02, (c) total external support between 1997–98 and 2001–02 and (d) aggregate external finance between 1997–98 and 2001–02 broken down by (i) unitary, (ii) shire county, (iii) shire district, (iv) metropolitan district and (v) London borough council. [40188]

Dr. Whitehead

The following table provides the information requested. The increases have been expressed at 2001–02 prices based on the GDP deflator.

Standard spending assessment Revenue support grant Total external support1 Aggregate external finance2
Type of authority Cash increase (£ million) Percentage increase Cash increase (£ million) Percentage increase cash increase (£ million) Percentage increase Cash increase (£ million) Percentage increase
Unitary authorities 3,164.234 75.7 1,265.017 65.1 2,316.131 71.8 2,912.769 86.0
Shire counties -456.964 -2.7 -869.549 -12.8 -714.618 -5.8 309.337 2.4
Shire districts -255.264 -10.2 -193.001 -22.5 -227.567 -13.0 -204.072 -11.2
Metropolitan districts 939.589 9.8 329.660 6.6 674.745 8.8 1,455.243 17.9
London boroughs3 659.821 9.0 89.866 2.2 320.230 5.5 1,013.070 16.4
1 Revenue Support Grant plus redistributed national non-domestic rates plus SSA Reduction Grant (SSA Review) plus SSA Reduction Grant (Police Funding Review) plus Central Support Protection Grant plus principal formula Police Grant.
2 Total External Support plus the City Offset plus Neighbourhood Renewal Fund plus other special and specific grants within AEF. The data on the other special and specific grants within AEF have been collated from statistical returns supplied by local authorities to DTLR, the other data come from administrative records held by DTLR.
3 Includes City of London.

Between 1997–98 and 2001–02, the last round of local government reorganisation took place. In 1997–98, there were 27 unitary councils, 35 shire counties and 260 shire districts. In 2001–02, there were 46 unitary councils, 34 shire counties and 238 shire districts.

Also, between 1997–98 and 2001–02 there have been a number of changes in the function and funding of local authorities, for example in the way education for four-year-olds was funded.

It is not possible to calculate data for 1997–98 on a like-for-like basis with 2001–02. The data in the table do not make any allowance for local authority reorganisation or these changes in function or funding and the figures should therefore be treated with caution.

Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the White Paper on modernising local government finance will be published. [40013]

Dr. Whitehead

[holding answer 6 March 2002]: The Government's proposals for reforming the local government finance system were published on 11 December 2001 in Part 2 of our White Paper "Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services". Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.