HC Deb 21 January 1988 vol 125 cc822-4W
Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of the London Docklands development corporation on the recruitment of local labour.

Mr. Trippier

The London Docklands development corporation operates an open recruitment system, and welcomes applications from local people for all its posts. It encourages others in the area to employ local people.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what machinery exists for liaison between the London Docklands development corporation and the Manpower Services Commission.

Mr. Trippier

The LDDC are working closely with the MSC's docklands liaison group.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria are used when the London Docklands development corporation allocates expenditure on education and training.

Mr. Trippier

They are set out in detail in LDDC's published corporate plan at pages 37–42.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the social and community aims of the London Docklands development corporation.

Mr. Trippier

Broadly to ensure that docklands is an attractive place for people to live and work in. Greater detail is set out in its annual corporate plan, a copy of which is in the Library.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is an aim of the London Docklands development corporation to seek to reduce unemployment in docklands; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier

Yes—and the unemployment rate in docklands has fallen from 23 per cent, in January 1986 to 18 per cent, in October 1987.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many students have completed courses on London Docklands development corporation funded training projects; what were those courses; what qualifications they obtained; and what were the students' post-course destinations.

Mr. Trippier

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 23 October 1987 at column891. No further information is readily available.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps the London Docklands Development Corporation takes to see that contractors offer employment to local labour.

Mr. Trippier

The LDDC encourages its contractors to employ local labour. It cannot require them to do so.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the average house price at the mortgage completion stage in the London Docklands development corporation area during 1987.

(A) LDDC Actual Annual Expenditure 1981–87
£ million
1981–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 Total
Land Acquisition 34 16 4 8 13 75
Land Reclamation 9 10 11 18 16 64
Roads & Transport 6 8 6 8 16 44
Services 5 7 5 6 14 37
Environment 5 6 3 5 8 27
DLR — 2 16 13 5 36
Housing 1 2 — — — 3
Sub-Total (a) 60 51 45 58 72 286
Community/Industry Support 3 4 4 4 4 19
Estate Management 2 3 3 2 2 12
Promotion and Consultancies 4 3 3 2 2 14
Administration and Tax 6 8 6 8 8 36
Sub-Total (b) 15 18 16 16 16 81
TOTALS 75 69 61 74 88 367

(B) Cost of Enterprise Zone benefits
£ million
1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86
Capital allowances 1 (all United Kingdom Zones—net) 20 20 20 30 60
Rates Revenue foregone2 — 1.25 1.49 2.43 2.32
1 Estimated: 1985–86 prices (no figure is available for the Isle of Dogs Zone).
2 Outturn prices.

Mr. Trippier

[holding answer 13 January]: From an analysis of sales of new homes on land owned by them, LDDC currently estimate the median price paid for a property during the first three quarters of 1987 to be £65,900.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current estimate of private sector money invested in the London Docklands development corporation area to date.

Mr. Trippier

[holding answer 13 January]: At 31 March 1987 an estimated £2.2 billion had been spent or committed by the private sector. A further £758 million is forecast for the current financial year. These estimates are published annually in the LDDC's annual report and in its corporate plan.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total amount of public money invested in the London docklands area through the Docklands Joint Committee, the Port of London Authority and the London Docklands development corporation, including the cost of enterprise zone benefits itemised by categories of expenditure, grant and allowance, on an annual basis from 1974.

Mr. Trippier

[holding answer 13 January]: The latest figures for LDDC expenditure, and for the cost of the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone benefits, are set out in the tables Information about the DJC and PLA expenditure in the London docklands area is not readily available.