To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the financial effect of the establishment of the Greater London Authority on revenue support grant levels for other regions; and if he will make a statement. [40365]

As we said in our White Paper "A Mayor and Assembly for London" (Cm 3897), we have carefully considered how the costs of the Mayor, Assembly and new central service of the Greater London Authority should be paid for, and have decided to meet most of the costs ourselves through grant. We have no plans to cut support to other parts of the country to pay for the Authority.