§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of urban aid is designated for new sporting projects; and what offers he has made to local authorities of the pound for pound scheme in the inner cities.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneUrban programme funds are not allocated for specific purposes: Sports projects have to compete with others for the funds available. In 1983–84, applications valued at £20 million were supported, out of an Urban Programme allocation of £257 million.
The aim of the £-for-£ scheme is to encourage private sector — not local authority — investment in sporting projects and facilities. Following the success of £-for-£ schemes in Merseyside and Bristol, we have made money available to the Sports Council for further schemes in London and the west midlands this year.
§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends further to encourage companies to offer the community shared use of sports facilities.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneYes, with the Sports Council and other interested organisations.
§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what sports fields and other former recreational lands are currently classified as derelict land on the Land Register.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneLand registers record details of unused or underused land owned by public bodies; not all such land is derelict. The current or previous use of 215 sites comprising 5,500 acres of registered land is shown as "leisure or recreations". The computerised information we maintain on all registers does not classify sports fields separately.
§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has received from the 100 businesses he contacted in 1983 asking them to review the use of their sporting facilities; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe increasing demand for sport and recreation opportunities needs to be met if possible through expanding the use of existing facilities, as well as through new provision. My initiative in writing to the chairmen of the 100 top companies was designed to assess the potential for greater community use of company sports facilities. The response from chairmen was generally positive. We ascertained that most company sports grounds and clubs are already open to the local community, and I am very grateful to the companies concerned for their important contribution to meeting local needs. I asked the sports council to follow up many responses at the local level. They established that in about 20 cases there could be some scope for development. The council continues to pursue these possibilities.
§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the new system for monitoring land use changes that commenced in January, he will include sports fields owned by local authorities and others.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneSports fields are included under outdoor recreation in the new system for monitoring land use changes and cannot therefore be separately identified. As that system was only introduced on 1 January, it would be premature to consider further subdividing the present 24 categories of land uses.