§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average standard spending assessment/formula spending share funding per head has been for personal social services in(a) England and (b) North Somerset in each year since 1997. [188661]
§ Dr. LadymanThe personal social services average standard spending assessment/formula spending share (SSA/FSS) allocation per head of total population is shown in the table.
£ England North Somerset 1997–98 152 127 1998–99 160 135 1999–2000 169 139 2000–01 177 146 2001–02 181 150 2002–03 186 155 2003–04 224 187 2004–05 246 208 Note: The figures are based on the latest available national and sub-national population estimates, which are derived from the 2001 census. The comparison shows that North Somerset's funding is always less than the England average. Each authority's SSA/FSS allocation depends on a number of factors including whether it has a large or small population, and whether it suffers from relatively high levels of need and deprivation. As a result an authority with a large population and much deprivation receives a far higher funding share than a smaller authority that has relatively low levels of need and deprivation.