National Insurance: Employer Contributions Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Lord Scriven
Main Page: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Scriven's debates with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(3 months, 1 week ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)
I agree with the noble Lord that special needs transport has been a significant burden on local government in recent years, and with little help from the last Government. However, in the Budget, the Government announced £2 billion of new grant funding for local government in 2025-26. That includes the £515 million to which he referred to help with national insurance contributions. That £2 billion covers special educational needs home-to-school transport. I am not saying that will totally solve the problem. We have a spending review in the spring where I hope we will be able to look at that even further.
Lord Scriven (LD)
My Lords, the new burdens approach says that councils should be fully funded. The Minister keeps referring to the £515 million uplift, yet the Nuffield Trust has pointed out that the NICs increases will cost local authorities £900 million. Where is the extra £400 million coming from, and why has it not been handed over by the Government as part of the new burdens approach?