Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Kerry McCarthy and Brandon Lewis
Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)
14. What recent estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of their public health responsibilities.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)
English local authorities receive the public health grant, which is now £2.79 billion for 2014-15. Public health is a key part of the Government’s broader work promoting integrated health and care services, which includes the new £3.8 billion for the better care fund.
Kerry McCarthy
I trust the Minister is aware of a recent British Medical Journal report called “Raiding the public budget”. It reported that local authorities are diverting public health funds to meet shortfalls in other council budgets. Has the Minister discussed this with local authorities and with his colleagues in the Department of Health, and does he share the concerns of the former south-west director of public health that this is “robbing Peter to pay Paul”?
Brandon Lewis
Local authorities across the country know what this is about. They have a vested interest in getting it right, and some of the examples out there are a salutary lesson to every authority that such behaviour would not be tolerated.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Kerry McCarthy and Brandon Lewis
Brandon Lewis
In the interests of absolute truth, let me reconfirm that the reduction in spending power for fire and rescue authorities was 2.2% for 2011-12 and 0.5% for 2012-13. As was said earlier, that moves to 4.7% in 2013-14, with the back-loading, and to just 3.3% in 2014-15. Those figures are slightly different from the ones given by the hon. Gentleman.
Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)
5. What assessment he has made of the availability of accommodation for those who downsize as a result of the new under-occupancy rules for social housing.