§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, followng his Department's letter of 2 July, to the Merseyside county council solicitor, he will make a statement on the funding of the Liverpool ice rink.
§ Mr. HeseltineAs I said in my speech in Liverpool on 24 May, I hope that my Merseyside sports initiative—the £ for £ scheme—will play a significant part in the improvement of facilities at Liverpool ice rink. My officials are working closely with those of the Sports Council and the two local authorities on a package of capital and revenue measures aimed at completing the refurbishment of the rink and, over the next three years, helping to put it on a self-sustaining footing.
The purpose of the Department's recent letters to the two local authorities was to encourage the submission of appropriate bids under the urban programme. When these come in they will receive urgent and sympathetic consideration.