§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken in the light of the report "Faith in the City" on matters which are the responsibility of his Department.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to the reply, 8 December 1986]: My Department continues to give priority to the regeneration of urban areas through existing programmes, including the urban programme and derelict land grant, which have greatly expanded since 1979. In addition new initiatives have been promoted, including proposals for new urban development corporations at Trafford Park in Greater Manchester, Teesside, the black country and Tyne and Wear, and the provision for urban regeneration grant contained in the Housing and Planning Act 1986. Also, my Department is giving specific assistance to the Archbishop's commission on urban priority areas with its work on identifying areas for assistance by the church urban fund. I shall be seeing the chairman and secretary of the follow-up group tomorrow.