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Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Beith MPLiberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Berwick Upon TweedWorking for you and the Berwick upon Tweed Constituency all year roundin Northumberland and in Westminster |
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Refusal to change Barnett Formula another slap in the face for north - Beith
December 16, 2009 1:00 PM
Following the Government's rejection of proposals to rewrite the Barnett Formula, Sir Alan Beith MP has labelled the Government's stance as "another slap in the face for the north".
Sir Alan, the Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick upon Tweed, said
"The government has flatly refused to reform the Barnett Formula despite all the evidence produced by the Lords' Committee and by other committees including the House of Commons Justice Committee, which I chair.
"The Barnett Formula is out of date and takes no account of the needs of areas like the north of England. The Lords' Committee produced a good alternative proposal but it has been rejected by the government and this is another slap in the face for the north."
The Barnett Formula is used to calculate the level of public funding which is passed from central government to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It was introduced in the 19870s as a short term tool for calculations but has never been replaced, despite many calls for change from a range of individuals and institutions including Lord Barnett himself.
The issue was discussed in the House of Lords on Tuesday 15 December 2009 and the transcript can be found here: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2009-12-15a.1391.0
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