Written question asked by Colin Shepherd (Conservative), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 17 December 1996. It was answered by Paul Beresford (Conservative) on Tuesday, 17 December 1996 on behalf of the Department of the Environment.

Dept of the Environment

Question: What assessment he has made of the extent to which the present formula for deriving standard spending assessments reflects accurately the differing costs of providing services in sparsely populated rural areas and areas of urban density. (Failed OPQ)

Answer: Sir Colin Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the present formula for deriving standard spending assessments reflects accurately the differing costs of providing services in sparsely populated rural areas and areas of urban density. [7878] Sir Paul Beresford: The research we commissioned into sparsity and local authority costs found that the size of the current allowance for sparsity in standard spending assessments is about right. Research into density concluded that other measures of urban-ness might also be relevant, but that further study would be needed. For 1997-98, we therefore propose no changes in the basis of the sparsity and density allowances.

Secondary information