§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many bids Advantage West Midland received from the North Staffordshire Partnership in respect of an Urban Regeneration Company for North Staffordshire; and what the outcome of each bid was. [122591]
422W
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has not received any formal proposals from any body operating in North Staffordshire with respect to an Urban Regeneration Company.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Objective Two and Three European funding Advantage West Midlands(a) has secured and (b) anticipates it will raise in 2003–04; and how much it plans to spend on projects in North Staffordshire. [122592]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands is not directly responsible for Objective 2 investment in the sub-region. Government Office for the West Midlands administers these programmes on behalf of the region.(a) There are no Objective 3 offers to AWM. Objective 2 offers made to AWM are worth £86.84 million (ERDF and ESF combined). There are £15.85 million worth of bids currently under appraisal. (b) It is impossible to tell what level of ERDF and ESF AWM might secure in 2003–04 since this is dependent on the number of bidding rounds available and how many successful applications AWM achieve. Regarding spend in North Staffordshire, again this is impossible to say as the majority of the resources available to AWM are under an Action Plan which any of the sub regions can bid into.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Advantage West Midland estimated grant-in-aid spending will be in 2003–04; and how much will be spent on projects in North Staffordshire. [122593]
§ Jacqui SmithEstimated grant-in-aid for 2003–04 is £260 million, £18 million of which is indicatively allocated to North Staffordshire through the existing SRB programmes and the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress Advantage West Midlands has made in setting up a company to manage the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone under the North Staffordshire Partnership Zone Implementation Plan. [122594]
§ Jacqui SmithThe corporate governance structure for the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone is developing in line with other Regeneration Zones across the region. The North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone has established a Shadow Board chaired by the private sector; has an interim manager and is about to recruit a permanent secretariat to deliver the programme over the next 10 years.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the causes are of the delay in Advantage West Midlands(a) determining and (b) approving a delivery vehicle for regeneration within the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone. [122595]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has not received a formal proposal for the establishment of an Urban Regeneration Company. However discussions are ongoing with stakeholders to determine the potential for such an arrangement.
423WThe corporate governance structure for the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone is developing in line with other Regeneration Zones across the region and the interim arrangements as described above are already in place.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which delivery vehicles for regeneration are being considered by Advantage West Midlands within the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone. [122596]
§ Jacqui SmithWork has been commissioned by Advantage West Midlands, with agreement by local stakeholders, to scope the potential form and function of a special purpose vehicle to deliver physical investment in the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone. Local consultation is taking place initially to be followed up with detailed dialogue with ODPM during August/September. Early indications suggest that a radical solution is required more in line with the approach taken by Government in the Thames Gateway rather than the traditional Urban Regeneration Company adopted elsewhere in the region.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons Advantage West Midlands has not approved an Urban Regeneration Company for North Staffordshire. [122597]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has not received any formal proposals from any body operating in North Staffordshire with respect to an Urban Regeneration Company.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when bids were first received by Advantage West Midlands for an Urban Regeneration Company from(a) Sandwell, (b) North Staffordshire, (c) Walsall and (d) other districts, boroughs and subregions in the West Midlands. [122598]
§ Jacqui SmithFormal submissions were received from Sandwell and Walsall in April 2001. Advantage West Midlands has not received any other formal proposals with respect to an Urban Regeneration Company.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what progress Advantage West Midlands has made in appointing a clerical assistant for the Secretariat of the company to manage the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone; [1122599]
(2) what progress Advantage West Midlands has made in the establishment of a finance and monitoring officer by Stoke-on-Trent Partnership for the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone; [122600]
(3) what progress Advantage West Midlands has made in the appointment of (a) a regeneration zone manager and (b) the four pillar managers for North Staffordshire under the North Staffordshire Partnership Zone Implementation Plan. [122601]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has allocated a secretariat budget for the Zone and to date, an Interim Regeneration Zone Manager has been put in place through the North Staffordshire Partnership, employed by Stoke on Trent City Council.
424W
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which consultants have been used by(a) Advantage West Midlands and (b) the North Staffordshire Partnership to advise on regeneration in North Staffordshire; how much they were paid; and when; [122602]
(2) what the role of KPMG is in advising Advantage West Midlands on regeneration in North Staffordshire; when the firm was appointed; and how much it will be paid. [122603]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands commissioned KPMG in May 2003 to work with stakeholders and the day to day management responsibility for the consultancy contract with KPMG lies with Stoke on Trent city council. Details of the contractual arrangements are commercial in confidence.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons Advantage West Midlands did not notify local hon. Members of the meetings on 2 and 3 June to discuss the progress of regeneration in North Staffordshire; which priority projects were discussed at these meetings; and how these projects relate to the Zone Implementation Plan of the North Staffordshire Partnership. [122604]
§ Jacqui SmithThe arrangements for the Stakeholders event on 2 and 3 June were determined by local partners from the public sector. The objectives for the day were to discuss and review local regeneration activity that lies within the statutory responsibility of public sector bodies and the local strategic partnerships.
Greater dialogue will now take place directly between Advantage West Midlands and local Members of Parliament in the next stage of discussions, which relate to national policy.
A report outlining the key outcomes of the event will be available from AWM from 2 July.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with which aspects of the North Staffordshire Partnership Zone Implementation Plan Advantage Waste Midlands plans to proceed. [122605]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has approved the Zone Implementation Plan for 2003–04. However this is currently being updated by the Regional Zone Partnership to reflect recent developments. Delivery of the Plan will be the responsibility of the Zone Partnership.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Advantage West Midlands has allocated to the West Midlands Region under(a) SRB4, (b) SRB5 and (c) SRB6; and how much is being applied under each single regeneration budget round to (i) Stoke-on-Trent, (ii) Newcastle-under-Lyme, (iii) Staffordshire Moorlands and (iv) Stafford. [122606]
425W
§ Jacqui SmithSRB allocations for 2003–4 are as follows
SRB 4 Total Allocation to the West Midlands is £8 million of which £1.87 million is allocated to Stoke SRB 4. There were no SRB 4 allocations to other areas in the sub-region.SRB 5 Total Allocation to the West Midlands was £19 million of which £4.4 million was allocated to Stoke SRB 5; £0.9 million was allocated to SRB 5 in North East Staffordshire.SRB 6 Total Allocation to the West Midlands was £24 million of which £4.8 million was allocated to Stoke SRB 6 and £1.3 million to SRB 6 in Stafford.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information Advantage West Midlands has received on the number of officials and staff Stoke-on-Trent city council employs on projects under(a) SRB4, (b) SRB5 and (c) SRB6. [122607]
§ Jacqui SmithThe delivery arrangements for the SRB programmes are detailed in the delivery plans for each of the schemes, which are available to the public through the local partnership.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information Advantage West Midlands has received on the number of projects under way or planned by Stoke-on-Trent city council under(a) SRB4, (b) SRB5 and (c) SRB6; and if she will list the (i) cost, (ii) start date and (iii) expected finish date of each project. [122608]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has signed off the Delivery Plans for the SRB 4, 5 and 6 for 2003–04.
Advantage West Midlands does not have detailed lists of individual projects planned, as the SRB is a delegated programme. Information on these is available in the public domain from the partnership delivery plans.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the role is of Mr. Jim Beeston of Heartlands in advising Advantage West Midlands on regeneration in North Staffordshire; what advice he has provided; and when his advice will be finalised. [122609]
§ Jacqui SmithJim Beeston is now a Director of Invigour Consulting, who has been commissioned by Advantage West Midlands with agreement by local stakeholders to scope the potential form and function of a special purpose vehicle to deliver physical investment in the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone. Local consultation is taking place initially to be followed up with detailed dialogue with Office of the Deputy Prime Minister during August and September 2003. Invigour will report back to the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone and North Staffordshire Housing Market Renewal Board during July and August 2003.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the awards of grant in-aid under the skills development and rapid response category that have been made to North Staffordshire by Advantage West Midlands in the last three financial years; and the amount of each award. [122674]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Department of Work and Pensions is responsible for the administration of the Rapid Response Fund.
426WSkills Development Funding to North Staffordshire over the last three financial years amounts to £6.83 million.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions Advantage West Midlands has had with RIBA over an urban design vision for Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire. [122675]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands is aware of on-going discussions taking place between local partners regarding an urban design vision for Stoke-on-Trent. Advantage West Midlands has not had any direct discussions with RIBA on this issue outside of general partnership meetings.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how Advantage West Midlands intends to incorporate the Housing Pathfinder programme in its most appropriate delivery vehicle for regeneration in North Staffordshire. [122676]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands is working closely with the Housing Market Renewal Board to put in place joint delivery arrangements for regeneration in North Staffordshire. Several discussions have taken place at the Housing Market Renewal Board. However no decision has yet been made on firm delivery proposals.
Advantage West Midlands is not responsible for the Housing Pathfinder Programme but it is its intention to integrate its activities fully with it where possible to maximize resources and avoid duplication.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support Advantage West Midlands has given to the North Staffordshire Urban Design Forum. [122677]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has supported the development of the North Staffordshire Design Initiative through their Business Growth Fund. There has been no specific support for the Urban Design Forum to date, although proposals are being put forward through the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what submissions Advantage West Midlands has received(a) directly and (b) via the North Staffordshire Partnership in respect of (i) funding and (ii) other assistance for the (A) North Staffordshire Urban Design Forum, (B) an urban design vision for North Staffordshire and (C) a proposed new architecture centre for North Staffordshire. [122678]
§ Jacqui SmithBoth Advantage West Midlands and North Staffordshire Partnership have received the same proposal from the North Staffordshire Urban Design Forum. In practice, the proposal will be channelled through the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone for consideration and possible support.
The North Staffordshire Urban Design Forum proposal requests funding of £48,733 in 2002–03, £154,289 in 2003–04 and £179,834 in 2004–05, a total of £382,856 over this three-year period.
427WThe development of an Urban Design vision for North Staffordshire and an architecture centre are included as part of the urban design activities in the proposal.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions Advantage West Midlands has had with Stoke-on-Trent city council in respect of the future of Stoke's current partnerships with the St. Modwen property company in the context of the regeneration of North Staffordshire. [122679]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has had no specific discussions with Stoke-on-Trent city council in respect of the future of Stoke's current partnerships with the St. Modwen property company in the context of the regeneration of North Staffordshire.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Advantage West Midlands has spent on the staffing and administration of the North Staffordshire Partnership in the last three years; and how much is anticipated in the current year. [122680]
§ Jacqui SmithAdvantage West Midlands has spent the following on the staffing and administration of the North Staffordshire Partnership.
£ 2001–02 33,190 2002–03 76,965 Estimated contribution for 2003–04 is £135,000.
§ Paul FarrellyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total amount of grants received by Advantage West Midlands in the region from the European Regional Development Fund in
Grant-in-aid utilised by Advantage West Midlands £ million 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 Totals AWM GiA utilised 105 110 123 205 543 Spend: Stoke-on-Trent 11.198 9.603 14.109 13.298 48.208 Stafford 0.096 0.013 0.424 1.003 1.536 Newcastle-under-Lyme 2.16 1.078 3.257 1.593 8.088 Staffs Moorlands 0.212 0.378 1.573 2.409 4.572 North Staffs Regeneration Zone 0.018 0.052 0.379 1.648 2.097 13.684 11.124 19.742 19.951 64.501 Note:
Figures are estimates only.