Local Government Finance

The hon. Gentleman is right: we have given an interim payment of £10 million to Gloucestershire in recognition of the damage caused to the highway infrastructure and in response to the request that it made to us. We are working with the county at present on the final costs of the damage, but the principle is well established that although central Government will step in to support and help local government—as we are doing in a big way—it is right to expect local councils to cover a certain amount of the costs.