Fiona Mactaggart
Main Page: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)(8 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Greg Clark
May I add my welcome to the new Serjeant at Arms?
Given what my hon. Friend the Member for North Dorset (Simon Hoare) said, I am grateful that he is sitting far away from the Dispatch Box. I am grateful, however, for his good wishes. Dorset is a well-run county council, and it has important costs as a result of being a beautiful rural county. The extra funding that it will receive from April this year will be £4.10 million which I know, having spoken to the leader of the council, will make a big difference in managing the transition that was a great concern for the authority.
Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab)
Slough is the smallest unitary authority in the country. In response to questions, the Secretary of State announced that fellow Berkshire unitary authorities, West Berkshire and Wokingham, will receive £1.4 million transitional funding. Slough faces particular pressures, as it is on the border of London and has a changing, high-needs population. What are we going to get?
Greg Clark
It sounds as though the right hon. Lady wants to participate in the review of needs and of the cost of delivering those needs, so I am surprised that she has not welcomed the announcement that I have just made.