To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) estimated and (b) outturn costs were of each reorganisation of the local government structure since 1980. [124067]
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For the reviews in the 1990's supplementary credit approvals (SCAs)—totalling some £492 million—were given to authorities affected by reorganisation to enable them to borrow money to meet the one off indirect costs of reorganisation.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the cost to be incurred in the re-organisation of local government in (a) the North East, (b) the North West and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber if the region approves the creation of a regional assembly. [125045]
The costs of such local government reorganisation will depend on what boundary and structural changes are involved and on future decisions by the local authorities concerned.