Debates between Angela Eagle and Neil O'Brien during the 2019-2024 Parliament

Merseyside: Funding of Local Authorities

Debate between Angela Eagle and Neil O'Brien
Tuesday 8th February 2022

(2 years, 9 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Neil O'Brien Portrait Neil O'Brien
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I am afraid that I do not have time to give way; I am so sorry.

Angela Eagle Portrait Dame Angela Eagle
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Oh, come on!

Neil O'Brien Portrait Neil O'Brien
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I am up against the clock, as the hon. Lady knows.

As we announced on Monday, the local government finance settlement for the next year makes an additional £3.7 billion available to councils in England; that includes funding for adult social care reform. This is an increase in local authority funding of more than 4.5% in real terms compared with the previous year, and we expect core spending power—the measure of resources available to local authorities to fund service delivery—to rise from £50.4 billion in 2021-22 to £54.1 billion in 2022-23, which I am just about to come to. I emphasise that the Government are providing around £1.6 billion in additional grant in the next year through the settlement, and through additional funding for things such as the supporting families programme and cyber-resilience. What that means for Merseyside is that core spending power will increase for all authorities in the region by at least 7.7%, compared with last year.