Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to oral evidence given to the Treasury Committee on 25 April 2018, HC 424 and the Local Government Association's response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government report into business rates, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of local government finance in maintaining vital services.

Through the settlement, Local Government has been given access to £45.1 billion in 2018-19 and £45.6 billion in 2019-20. This is an overall increase since 2017-18 of £1.3 billion.

2018/19 is the third year of a four year deal providing funding certainty accepted by 97 per cent of councils in return for publishing efficiency plans.

In addition, the current business rates retention scheme is yielding strong results. Local authorities estimate that in 2018-19 they will keep around £2.4 billion in business rates growth.