argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments. His Select Committee and its predecessors have long called for four-year settlements and the devolution of powers. We have made a choice, advised by local government, on a flat cash settlement over the spending review period to prioritise adult social care. That is what we have done in this settlement. As I made clear when I talked about candour at the beginning of my statement, that of course means that authorities need to continue to make savings in areas outside those for which we have provided extra funds. That is accepted and understood. We have also agreed that they should be at a lower rate than was necessary at the beginning of the previous Parliament. I think local councils will welcome that.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
David Arthur Stephen Tredinnick (Conservative, Centre-right): Conservative-controlled Leicestershire County Council is one of the best in the country, but its funding is the worst. I am sure the Secretary of State’s innovative statement today will be welcomed in the county, not least because it gives additional freedoms. Market Bosworth is now world-famous since the reinterment of Richard III, something my right hon. Friend can check when he goes overseas and asks anybody. The initiatives for rural areas will be very welcome. In the rural parts of my constituency, there is a feeling that they have been neglected. Will my right hon. Friend explain a little more about the social care precept of 2% and how it will affect hard-pressed Leicestershire, which has terrific difficulties in meeting its social care targets at the moment?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I join my hon. Friend in praising Leicestershire County Council, which was one of those that made representations asking that its substantial social care costs be recognised. As a result of the settlement, by the end of the spending review period, in 2019-20, the resources available to Leicestershire will have increased by 3.5%, which will help to meet the costs he describes. I am certain that a council as well run as Leicestershire will make use of that to the great benefit of his elderly constituents.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course I will. I am always delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman and his Birmingham colleagues, as well as my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell) who shares his commitment to that great city. The spending review recognises the increased costs faced by social services authorities such as Birmingham;, and in recognition of those pressures, by the end of the spending review period, in 2019-20, his city will have a spending power per dwelling £200 higher than the national average.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Tania Mathias (Conservative, Centre-right): Mr Speaker, I wish you and everyone else in the House a very merry Christmas I ask the Minister not to penalise councils that are already very efficient. In the £3.5 billion made available for social care, will he please take into account Richmond upon Thames Council, which is efficient but has great needs because of the disproportionate number of over-65s living alone? Will he please meet me and council leaders to discuss next year’s budget?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I think that my colleagues and I are going to be busy after Christmas meeting many hon. Members, but I am certainly happy to meet my hon. Friend. I pay tribute to the efficiency of Richmond upon Thames Borough Council. The two contributions—the proposed precept and the addition to the better care fund—will be allocated in complementary ways, which is what local government leaders across the country have recommended to us.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman must have second sight to know what the impacts will be before he has looked at the figures for those particular authorities. Of course, by prioritising social care we are directing resources to authorities with responsibility for children’s social services as well as adult social services. Compared with what would have happened in the steady state, as it were, authorities such as his own in Newcastle upon Tyne will benefit.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I understand that every local authority has unique circumstances and faces unique pressures. Part of the responsibility of local government is to anticipate and prepare for them. In the course of the consultation on the settlement, either I or one of my ministerial colleagues would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to understand the particular circumstances of her council.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I have some news that might cheer up the hon. Gentleman—it looks as though he may need it. By 2019-20, as a result of this settlement that, as I have said, recognises the pressure on authorities with social care responsibilities, the resources available to the hon. Gentleman’s council in Walsall will have increased by 1.5%.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Nusrat Munir Ul-Ghani (Conservative, Centre-right): Yesterday, together with my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (Maria Caulfield), I met the leaders of East Sussex County Council to discuss their budget plans and priorities. They will welcome today’s announcement, especially the focus on longer-term funding and the recognition of the difficulties of rural councils. East Sussex has the highest number of 85-year-olds of any county in the country, and I believe that my Wealden constituency has the highest number in the country. Will the Secretary of State give my council further confirmation that the differing demands on local authorities in respect of adult social care will be taken into account?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I know my hon. Friend’s constituency very well as she is my parliamentary neighbour. I understand that the pressures on adult social care for elderly people are significant. She will be pleased to know that by 2019-20 the resources available to East Sussex County Council will increase by 1%.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): These are, of course, decisions for the local council. In the settlement we have prioritised councils that have social care responsibilities. In his own borough, the un-ring-fenced reserves are nearly a fifth of a billion pounds, so the council can itself make some contribution to meeting those costs.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Jason McCartney (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State is absolutely right that local councils are answerable to local people. As he is aware, there is a very lively debate going on in Yorkshire at the moment about the relative merits of a West Yorkshire model and a Greater Yorkshire model of devolution. Will my right hon. Friend update us on when he sees a deal eventually being done in Yorkshire?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I am keen to see a deal in that great county. I know that discussions are at an advanced stage. I do not think it is going to be an early Christmas present for my hon. Friend, but I hope that early in the new year, the good people of Yorkshire will agree to take on the powers and resources on offer through our devolution programme.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to answer the hon. Lady’s question. As I said to her hon. Friend the Member for Walsall North (Mr Winnick), the resources available to Walsall will increase by 1.5% by 2019-20. Of course, as I said in my statement, savings will continue to need to be made in other areas right across local government. It is for the councils themselves to make those decisions, but they now have the ability with the certainty of four-year budgets and a possibility of reform within those years to make those savings, to protect those services and to make sure that elderly and vulnerable people are well looked after.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Maria Colette Caulfield (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend the Member for Wealden (Nusrat Ghani) said, we met local councils yesterday and we were told that the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey are joining together for a devolution bid, called "The three southern counties" bid. Currently the area’s contribution to the Exchequer’s revenue is second only to that of the City of London. Can the Secretary of State inform us what influence, if any, devolution bids such as "The three southern counties" bid will have on today’s funding settlement?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course I will, and when we have that conversation, the right hon. Lady will make the case for Birmingham. As I have said, it is important to recognise the need to help with social care pressures, and that is what we have done in the settlement.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Macroeconomics
William David Wiggin (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome this excellent statement on behalf of the people of Herefordshire, but may I ask the Secretary of State to keep a watching brief? I know that he has set four-year budgets, but each county faces specific challenges.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Macroeconomics
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I will certainly consider the case that my hon. Friend has made. However, one of the advantages of a four-year settlement is that local authorities can prepare for the future and manage their resources well, rather than being subject to occasional year-to-year variations in the national Government income. It gives them a greater proof against the uncertainty that they have experienced for a long time about what is coming each year.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
David John Barrington Burrowes (Conservative, Centre-right): Enfield Council lays the blame for the cuts in adult social care provision fairly and squarely at the Government’s door. It has already consulted my constituents, and it says that the cuts will amount to some £10 million by 2018, including £900,000 of transport cuts that will affect vulnerable people. Can the Secretary of State confirm—not least to Enfield Council and my constituents—that the council will have the resources and the choice that will enable it to protect the vulnerable?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): We responded to what local authorities had said about the need to recognise the importance of social services. My hon. Friend’s borough council has both upper-tier and lower-tier responsibilities, and in respect of the activities that it is required to perform in order to discharge its social services responsibility, it will benefit from this allocation.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): Every council has a statutory responsibility and a section 151 officer who is required to report, in real time, on the financial sustainability of the council. I have received no representations from a section 151 officer suggesting that a council is unviable. In recent years, the Local Government Association has been helping councils that require advice and assistance, and I expect that it will wish to go on doing so.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Martin John Vickers (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State is shortly to visit my constituency to discuss generation in the local economy. Will he expand a little on how the settlement will help local authorities in that regard? The other major challenge facing my authority is adult social care. When he visits the constituency, will he also discuss that with council leaders?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I will indeed. My hon. Friend is a long-time campaigner for more independence and autonomy in local government. I know that his council will welcome the certainty of a four-year budget, and I shall be happy to meet its representatives when I visit his constituency again.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I think the hon. Gentleman’s local residents will be relieved that a Labour Government were not returned after the general election, not least because it was the Labour party’s stated commitment to cut local government funding. As for Lambeth, we have, against all expectations, been able to protect the resources available to the council so that it can make decisions that will help vulnerable residents, as I know it will wish to do.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Robert John Blackman (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend my right hon. Friend’s wise decision to heed the recommendations of the Select Committee on Communities and Local Government. I trust that that will continue into 2016 and beyond My right hon. Friend will be aware of concern about the fact that councils are increasing charges for monopoly services above the rate of inflation. What action is he taking to ensure that residents are not overcharged for services that they cannot obtain anywhere else?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. When councils charge for services, the general principle should be cost recovery and no more. I would expect councils then to become more efficient and to pass on their efficiency savings to their residents, as they ought to do.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has made a good point in drawing attention to the fact that coastal communities such as his contain a high proportion of elderly people, and often require child social services as well. The settlement will direct funds to authorities such as his for precisely the reasons that he has mentioned.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): From listening to the right hon. Gentleman, we would think he wanted to centralise the power and take the resources back to the centre. I seem to remember working with his colleagues in government who purported to be in favour of decentralisation. When I was in the Department at the beginning of the previous Government, of which his party was a member, the savings that were required of local government were higher than we are proposing in this settlement.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
David Nuttall (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Secretary of State agree that the ongoing need to control costs means it is more important than ever for local councils to look at innovative ways of combining back-office functions across local authority boundaries?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with my hon. Friend and, as I have said throughout the statement, prioritising social care means savings do need to be made in other parts of councils’ operations. An excellent way to do that is to combine councils’ administrative services that cross borders.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Macroeconomics
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I would have thought the right hon. Gentleman would have taken the opportunity of being here today to applaud the success of the west midlands. It has agreed a devolution deal that will bring £1 billion of extra resources into his area. On the 100% business rate retention, of course that needs to recognise that some places will need to contribute to others. That is well understood and during the months ahead we will be working with local government to find the best way to address that requirement. That is not part of this settlement because that comes in from 2019-20.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Timothy Paul Loughton (Conservative, Centre-right): I applaud the certainty of long-term budgeting that the Secretary of State has brought in, but what is not certain is how the 2% precept for elderly social care will stretch for areas with very high very elderly populations such as mine. Some 4.6% of the population of Worthing is over the age of 85; they live a long time in Worthing, thank goodness. What consideration has he given to those additional costs on social care for the very elderly?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I understand the point my hon. Friend makes. In moving money within the system to authorities with social care responsibilities, we have taken account of the pressures. I am sure he will want to meet me and my colleagues to talk about the particular circumstances of Worthing. West Sussex as a whole has the responsibility for this, and I can tell my hon. Friend that its funding will increase by 2.9% by 2019-20, which will provide a big help in meeting these costs.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): What I can tell the hon. Gentleman is that the allocation of the better care fund is done in a way that is complementary to the 2%, to recognise the particular pressures in authorities such as his. The answer to his question is that the package for adult social care, including both elements, will add almost £16 million to Tameside by 2019-20.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Macroeconomics
Marcus John Hudson Fysh (Conservative, Centre-right): Somerset County Council, of which I am a member, has faced significant challenges over the last few years both on account of the fact that it is a rural council, which means it has not had as much money as some of the urban ones, and because it has had to deal with nearly £400 million-worth of debt, which the previous Liberal Democrat administration had run up. Will my right hon. Friend meet me and the council leaders to help to welcome this, and also to talk about how things will work for Somerset in practice over the next four years?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Macroeconomics
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I and my team stand ready to meet colleagues to discuss local circumstances. I can tell my hon. Friend that as a result of this settlement Somerset will receive an increase in its spending power of 4% by 2019-20, which I know will be a big help.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Government Operations
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): One of the things we will be doing over the years ahead is looking at what services and responsibilities can be devolved to local councils, recognising the fact that if we are going to devolve 100% of business rates, it is an opportunity to devolve some functions that have previously been in central Government. Attendance allowance has been suggested, and we will consult on that, alongside other services that could potentially be in the hands of local councils.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Julian Carlton Knight (Conservative, Centre-right): In Solihull, we have an average age of 43 compared with a UK average of 39. We have an ageing population, so the focus on adult social care is particularly welcome for my constituency. Can my right hon. Friend tell the House what specific discussions he is having with local government on the funding of adult social care? What assurances can he give us about councils not using up the £22 billion of reserves, bearing in mind that it is six weeks’ worth of cash?
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): In the case of Solihull, there will be £12 million available from the social care package for it to use. The great advantage of a four-year settlement is that reserves can be used to smooth the transition over the spending review period with the certainty and confidence that comes from knowing what the budgets are going to be for each of those years.
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-12-17
Topic: Social Welfare
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is characteristically churlish. If he had listened to my statement, he would have heard me pay tribute to the savings that councils have made, and of course they had to make them because we had the biggest deficit in peacetime history bequeathed to us by the party of which he is a member. What we are doing in this settlement is providing extra resources to meet the pressures on social services that have been identified. In the case of Derbyshire, that includes an increase of nearly £50 million in funding for adult social care from the package announced in the spending review.