UK 2000: Project Support (Hansard, 10 May 1988)

The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Caithness)
My Lords, by the end of March this year UK 2000 had established in England over 400 projects providing 12,000 community programme places and opportunities for over 12,000 volunteers—all well above the targets agreed with it. To help achieve this it has raised £1–4 million in business sponsorship to match the grant paid by my department this year. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State has recently reviewed the performance of UK 2000 and has offered it continued support for a further two years.

Earl Alexander of Tunis
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his reply. Is he satisfied that the level of fines for leaving litter is severe enough?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I think my noble friend is under a misapprehension that litter and UK 2000 are identical. I hope my noble friend will be aware that although the Tidy Britain group is part of UK 2000, there is a special initiative on litter which is rather a separate question.

§ Lord Dean of Beswick
My Lords, I welcome the projects that the Minister has mentioned. Is he aware that with many of them the return is as high as six or eight times per £ of private money as against public input? However, is he also aware that there are areas of the UK where, because of geographical and demographic differences, such a high return cannot be expected? Will the Government look sympathetically on a higher input in areas where it is needed in order to get these schemes off the ground and moving?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I appreciate the note of welcome that the noble Lord, Lord Dean of Beswick, has given towards the work of UK 2000. It has done some exceptionally good work throughout the country. I shall look into his second point.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, will the noble Lord agree that there have never been any inhibitions cast on the public sector, which contributes in many ways, with regard to what it does with public land in its efforts to make areas look nicer? Can he assure the House that whatever permissions may be granted to private endeavour, they will in no way restrict public access?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord on that. He will be pleased to know that my department's grant to UK 2000 this year will be up on last year.

§ Lord McIntosh of Haringey
My Lords, the House will welcome what the Minister has said in his reply to the Question. However, will he state what has changed since the end of January? UK 2000 then said: British industry is not pulling its weight in taking responsibility for the environment … In spite of a growing awareness in industry of the issues, the group says in a progress report, the UK has a long way to go before it can match the standards of environmentally-conscious nations like West Germany and Switzerland". I should be glad to hear good news of what has happened in the last three months.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, there is quite a gap with which British industry has to catch up. I am glad to say that it is indeed catching up rapidly, and in some parts is overtaking what is happening on the Continent. UK 2000 started only in the summer of 1986. In the first financial year up to March of this year it received 50 per cent. of its finance from business. In the current financial year it expects to receive grant of £1.85 million from the department, whereas it will expect to receive well over £2 million from the private sector.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, will the noble Lord confirm that "UK" still includes Wales and Scotland? If that is the case, can he say why no progress is being made in initiating projects in these two countries, which are part of the United Kingdom?

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, not only Wales, but Scotland, and in future Northern Ireland, will benefit from UK 2000. UK 2000 is separately constituted in each part of the United Kingdom. I am glad to tell the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition that it started in Wales in November 1986. In Scotland it was launched in April 1987 and, as I have said, we hope to launch it in Northern Ireland shortly.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, how many projects have been started? In his original reply the noble Earl referred merely to a substantial number of projects in England.

The Earl of Caithness
My Lords, I do not have to hand the figure for Wales, but I shall write to the noble Lord.