§ 12. Ms Hazel Blears (Salford)In what ways he expects children to benefit from the green spaces initiative funded by the new opportunities fund. [110609]
§ The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Mr. Chris Smith)The new opportunities fund launched the green spaces and sustainable communities initiative in January, having consulted extensively on the scope of the programme in the autumn of last year. It is envisaged that projects involving opportunities for children's play, organised and informal sport, playing fields, access to the countryside and creating safer routes to school will be eligible, among others. Such projects will greatly benefit the health, happiness, safety and social well-being of children, particularly in areas of multiple deprivation.
§ Ms BlearsI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Many inner-city areas are concrete jungles; there are 32 tower blocks in my constituency. The previous Tory Government sold off 5,000 playing fields, leaving many of our schools with no green space on which children can play. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that money from the green spaces initiative will be targeted specifically at cities, such as mine, where children need green spaces to play?
§ Mr. SmithYes, indeed. My hon. Friend rightly identifies the importance—especially, but not exclusively, in inner-city areas—of the creation of green spaces where children can play and where an oasis of greenery in the midst of concrete can be created. The new opportunities fund will seek to apply its funds primarily to areas of deprivation and it will look for good applications. I hope that my hon. Friend will encourage her constituents to come forward with precisely such applications.