Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Pickles and Paul Maynard

Monday 4th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con)]

8. What recent assessment he has made of the local government finance settlement; and if he will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

The local government settlement that we have confirmed today provides councils with an average of £2,216 per household, which will enable them to freeze council tax and deliver essential front-line services to their residents. The figure for Blackpool is £2,458, well above the national average.

[Paul Maynard]

I thank the Secretary of State for that reply. What role does deprivation play in reaching a local government finance settlement with individual councils, such as Blackpool, where deprivation is very high? Will the Secretary of State reassure me that those councils are not disproportionately penalised in reaching that settlement?

[Mr Pickles]

I can give my hon. Friend that reassurance. The figures show that the scheme that gives the weighting for deprivation is essentially unchanged from Labour’s scheme, apart from one significant change. We have introduced banded floors—damping floors—that mean that those who are more dependent on grant receive more protection than those who are more prosperous. It is fair to say that the settlement is more progressive and gives greater weight to deprivation than Labour’s scheme.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Pickles and Paul Maynard

Monday 17th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. If graffiti and fly-tipping are so serious, his council can go to a magistrates court and obtain a warrant so that surveillance can take place; otherwise they would have to pursue the normal process of dealing with fly-tipping and graffiti.

[Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con)]

11. What steps his Department is taking to support community pubs.