§ Mr. Tyrie:To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will give the percentage change in spending share for highways for West Sussex county council in 2003–04; and by how much this differs from the level of inflation. [143862]
§ Mr. Raynsford:In 2003–04, West Sussex County Council's Highway Maintenance Formula Spending Share (FSS) was £25,071,558. Formula Spending Shares were introduced in 2003–04 and are not directly comparable with Standard Spending Assessments. In order to provide a comparison, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published Formula Spending Share Comparators. These are based on a control total that includes the additional resource equalisation amounts (comparable to 2003–04) but based on the 2002–03 formulae. The 2002–03 Highway Maintenance Formula Spending Share Comparator for West Sussex county council was £26,837,923. The percentage decrease in Highway Maintenance FSS for West Sussex county council was therefore 6.6 per cent. The October 2003 value of Retail Price Index Excluding Mortgages (RPIX)was 1.7 per cent.
755WFormula Spending Shares are neither grant nor the Government's estimate of how much an authority should spend on a particular service. West Sussex county council received a formula grant increase of 4.0 per cent. in 2003–04. It is up to each individual authority to set their budgets taking into account their local circumstances.
§ Mr. Tyrie:To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage change in spending share for waste (EPCS) for West Sussex county council was in 2003–04; by how much this differs from the level of inflation; and if he will estimate what percentage of the change in spending share for waste (EPCS) would be spent on (a) implementing recycling targets and (b) increases in landfill taxes. [143863]
§ Mr. Raynsford:Waste disposal and waste collection are covered by the general Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS) Formula Spending Share (FSS).
In 2003–04, West Sussex county council's EPCS FSS was £57,045,365. Formula Spending Shares were introduced in 2003–04 and are not directly comparable with Standard Spending Assessments. In order to provide a comparison, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published Formula Spending Share Comparators. These are based on a control total that includes the additional resource equalisation amounts (comparable to 2003–04) but based on the 2002–03 formulae. The 2002–03 EPCS Formula Spending Share Comparator for West Sussex county council was £56,119,688. The percentage increase in EPCS FSS for West Sussex county council was therefore 1.6 per cent. The October 2003 value of RPIX was 1.7 per cent.
Formula Spending Shares are neither grant nor the Government's estimate of how much an authority should spend on a particular service. West Sussex county council received a formula grant increase of 4.0 per cent. in 2003–04. It is up to each individual authority to set their budgets taking into account their local circumstances.