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Local Government Finance
Mr. Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his latest estimate is of the level of central Government financial support for (a) local government and (b) county councils, per head of population for each English county; and if he will make a statement. [199899]
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Mr. Raynsford: The amount of central Government financial support provided to all local authorities in England in 2004–05 is £58,412 million. This equates to £1,172 per head of population.
The amount of central Government financial support provided to county councils by head of population in the same period is in the table.
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Information has been supplied for county councils only and therefore excuses unitary authorities, shire districts, and police and fire authorities within the county boundary.
The all-England data for local government support include special and specific grants inside "Aggregate External Finance", police grant, Revenue support grant, redistributed non-domestic rates and general Greater London Authority (GLA) grant.
The data for county council support include special and specific grants inside "Aggregate External Finance", Revenue support grant and redistributed non-domestic rates but not police grant or general GLA grant as they are not payable to county councils.
The figures for the county councils will not necessarily be comparable with each other because those which did not undergo a reorganisation between April 1995 and April 1998 will include support for fire expenditure, whereas those which did undergo a reorganisation will exclude such support.
Similarly they will not be comparable with the total figure for England as the latter includes support for all tiers of English local government.
The data are taken from the Revenue Account (budget) form for 2004–05—these forms are completed each year by individual local authorities.
Mersey Crossing
Mr. Stringer: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the contribution that a new Mersey crossing may make to the economic growth of the north-west. [201584]
Keith Hill: The Department for Transport is expecting a full appraisal to be submitted by the end of this week. This should comprehensively assess the benefits of the proposal against the Government's key transport criteria of integration, economy, environment, safety and accessibility. Until the submission has been reviewed, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not able to comment on the robustness of the economic case presented. The timing of any decision will depend on our assessment of the appraisal and the issues that it raises.
Planning
Mr. Nick Gibb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account he takes of commercial factors in determining planning matters. [200292]
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Keith Hill: The Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, set out his general approach to planning matters in Planning Policy Guidance Note PPG1: General Policy and Principles.
This policy includes the consideration of commercial factors, and states that a sustainable planning framework should provide for the nation's needs for commercial development, while respecting environmental objectives. It needs to be positive in promoting competitiveness while being protective towards the environment and amenity.
Development plans should encourage new enterprise and investment by setting out clear land-use policies for industrial and commercial development.
It is important that the locational needs of businesses are taken into account in the preparation of development plans. In defining suitable locations for development, plan policies should take into account:
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice he was given by (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as a result of the consultation on the preparation of Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control. [200973]
Keith Hill: Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control reflects the agreement of the Secretaries of State for Health and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the purposes of (a) Planning Policy Statement 23 and (b) its annex on the development of land affected by contamination. [200974]
Keith Hill: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made on 3 November 2004 when I published PPS23, Official Report, column 9WS.
Priority Estates Project
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much sponsorship of the Priority Estates Project cost his Office in (a) the financial year 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [200514]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister paid the Priority Estates Project, by way of grants and other payments, the following amounts: £727,857 in 2002–03 and £1,020,963 in 2003–04 (both amounts include VAT).
Regional Assemblies
Mr. Swire:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, (1) what the running costs of each of the existing regional assemblies were in the last year for which figures are available; [201355]
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(2) how much his Department contributed to the regional assemblies in the last year for which figures are available; [201356]
(3) whether legislation is required to disband the existing regional assemblies; [201357]
(4) what discussions he has had with officials concerning the dismantling of the regional assemblies; [201358]
Mr. Raynsford: The total level of Government grant paid to the existing regional assemblies in 2003–04 is as follows:
No details are kept centrally on the running costs of the assemblies.
The existing assemblies are voluntary bodies designated to undertake certain functions and no legislation would be necessary should any assembly decide to disband. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has not had any discussions with officials on the dismantling of assemblies.
Right to Buy
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average (a) purchase price of and (b) discount applied to a right to buy (i) flat and (ii) house was in each region in England in (A) 1997 and (B) the last year for which figures are available. [200289]
Keith Hill: Average right-to-buy selling price (net of discount) and discount figures for each of the Government Office regions are shown in the table.
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