HC Deb 04 March 2004 vol 418 cc1120-1W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the percentage increase in funding that he deems to be reasonable for(a) fire authorities and (b) police authorities in the next financial year. [158506]

Phil Hope

The 2004–05 Local Government Finance Settlement was approved by Parliament on 5 February.

Single service fire authorities (i.e. the metropolitan fire authorities and the combined fire authorities in shire areas) plus the fire-part of the GLA received a 4.23 per cent. increase in grant on a like-for like basis with 2003–04 i.e. after adjusting for changes in function and funding). Fire services in shire areas that have not been subject to Local Government Reorganisation are provided by the Shire County. Shire Counties also provide services such as education, social services and highway maintenance for these areas. It is not possible to identify the amount of grant such authorities receive for fire.

Police authorities excluding the City of London and the Metropolitan Police Authority plus the police-part of the GLA received a 3.26 per cent. increase in grant on a like-for-like basis with 2003–04. The City of London also provides services such as education, social services and highway maintenance. It is not possible to identify the amount of grant it receives for police.

LBH Match
Programme Source Date Funding

£ million

Funding

£ million

London Riverside-ODPM allocation from

Sustainable Communities Funding

ODPM 2004–2008 8 n/a
New Horizons for Harold Hill Regeneration of

deprived communities

SRB Allocation administered through LDA 1999 –2004 3.8 2
London Riverside in the Heart of the Thames

Gateway

SRB Allocation administered through LDA 1999–2007 132.2 2.2
Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing and

Engineering

DTI 2002–2004 4.3
London Riverside-site preparation EU Objective 2 2001–2002 5.4
Romford Town Centre SRB administered through LDA/

Groundwork

1997–2006 1 1.7
1Programme covers London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering and Thurrock. Havering is likely to have received 60–70 per cent. of the total allocation by the end of the programme although this includes contributions to the Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing and Engineering, which is in Havering, but serves a wider area.

In addition to these allocations there have been further allocations to the borough from the LDA 2 programme and significant direct investment from the LDA in site acquisition and development.

London Borough of Havering (LBH) match funding is included specifically and related to the regeneration programmes listed. In addition the Council has allocated approximately a further £3.5 million towards regeneration activity from 1997–98 to 2003–04 to support and deliver a variety of programmes over that period.