To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the value was of each grant provided by his Department and its predecessors, its associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies to (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council, (b) Shropshire county council and (c) Telford and the Wrekin borough council in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; and what grants have been planned for 2008-09. (184099)

The only grants made by the Department to the Councils listed have been in relation to electoral matters. The grants have been paid under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 which allows for Ministers to provide support to local authorities towards expenditure incurred in implementing the collection of personal identifiers (under Section 14 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006) and in delivering electoral modernisation pilots.

(i) 2006-07

Section 31 grant for collection of personal identifiers 2006-07

(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham—£10,708.25

(b) Shropshire—nil

(c) Telford and the Wrekin—£35,471.20

Section 31 grant for electoral pilot scheme 2006-07

(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham - 39,500

(ii) 2007-08

Section 31 grant for checking of personal identifiers 2007-08

(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham—£9,086.22

(b) Shropshire—nil

(c) Telford and the Wrekin—£34,493.58

Section 31 grant for electoral pilot scheme 2007-08

(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham—£1,096,165

(iii) 2008-09

Section 31 Grants are planned to be paid to Shrewsbury and Atcham and Telford and Wrekin borough councils for electoral registration data standards in 2008-09 but the exact amounts payable have yet to be finalised.

Information on grants provided by the Department’s agencies and non-departmental public bodies is held by the bodies themselves. This information is not held centrally.