Colliery Closures (Hansard, 19 July 1994)

§ Mr. Eggar

The Government provided a total of £200 million in regeneration funds to help the areas affected by pit closures. This funding was designed both to provide direct help and to encourage other public and private-sector investment in those areas: attracting new jobs, filling the funding gap for strategic projects and providing for other key activities such as retraining.

Training and enterprise councils and the Employment Service play a key part in regenerating coalfield areas. That is why the £180 million package announced in October 1992 including £75 million for training and enterprise councils and the Employment Service for special training and employment measures, £75 million for a three-year English Partnership's programme of factory and site provision, and a number of other measures. The additional £20 million announced in March 1993 was to allow major strategic projects to go ahead.

Since we announced the initial package, eight pits which were scheduled to close have been leased or licensed to the private sector. That means that the total number of collieries now operating is substantially more than would have been the case had the original closure proposals made in October 1992 gone ahead. That has further improved the prospects of the coalfield areas.

Lord Walker was asked to co-ordinate this major effort to assist the coalfield areas and advise on the strategic projects. I am grateful for the effectiveness and enthusiasm with which he has carried out this task. He has established a network of contacts in each region. He has monitored and co-ordinated the various agencies responsible for delivering the original £180 million package and has made the necessary judgments on the allocation of the approximately £20 million made available for strategic projects. His role as chairman of English Partnerships gives him a continuing close interest in the regeneration of the coalfield areas.

The main regeneration initiatives in each region are in the list. These will provide significant support in themselves, but they will also help attract further investment in the coal areas. North East Assisted Areas Restoration of Development Area status to Morpeth and Ashington TTWA. English Partnerships £16 million for the provision of industrial and commercial sites, in particular at Seaham Grange and Ashington. £1.75 million as a strategic project for improvements for site access in the Wansbeck area. 186W TECs and Employment Service £12.7 million additional budget allocation for coalfield areas. Coalfield Areas Fund £250k for regeneration projects in Easington. Enterprise Zone An Enterprise Zone comprising six sites to be designated in East Durham. Tyne and Wear Development Corporation £2 million for inward investment promotion and £2 million for development of strategic sites in Tyneside. Regional Selective Assistance Five large projects creating over 2,000 jobs (EMC Magnetics, Cramlington; Onwa Electronics and Interconnection Systems, South Tyneside; Lucas SEI and Goldstar, Wearside). Regeneration Partnerships The Government Office for the North East plays an active role in coalfield regeneration taskforces in East Durham and Northumberland and also in the Wansbeck Initiative. Yorkshire and Humberside English Partnerships £24 million for the provision of industrial and commercial sites. Plans announced: Barnsley–192,000 square feet of additional factory/ workshop space and 7.5 acres of land for further industrial schemes. Extra £6 million funding for Barnsley. Doncaster–1 10,000 square feet of factories and workshops. Extra £8 million funding for Doncaster. Rotherham–30,000 square feet of factories. Extra £6 million for Rotherham. Wakefield—Proposals to bring forward an industrial and commercial development of £4 million. Further and Higher Education Up to £2 million to support further and higher education provision in the Dearne Valley subject to the completion of negotiations. Road improvements Up to £3.75 million in Doncaster and Barnsley: contribution to Denaby on main diversion, access from the M18 into Doncaster Carr and design and preparation of access to Grimethorpe. TECs and Employment Service £25.3 million additional budget allocation for coalfield areas. Coalfield Areas Fund £1.2 million for regeneration projects. Enterprise Zone A 360 acre Enterprise Zone to be designated in the Dearne Valley. Department of Transport Main Programme Work is underway on the Dearne Towns Link Road and the Wath Manvers Spine Road. Assisted Area Status Barnsley and Doncaster upgraded from Intermediate to Development Area status. Wakefield & Dewsbury and Castleford & Pontefract upgraded from Non-Assisted to Intermediate Area status. Regional Enterprise Grants Regional Enterprise Grants extended to specific wards around Sharlston. Regional Selective Assistance Tunstall project in Barnsley: 600 jobs eventually, £11 million project. North West EC Objective 1 status Parkside Colliery has been identified as a key area for regeneration through targeted investment under the Objective 1 programme for Merseyside. 187W English Partnerships £4 million for the provision of industrial and commercial sites. Plans announced: 88,000 sq ft of new factory space and the acquisition of 10 acres of land. TECs and Employment Service £2–2 million additional budget allocation for coalfield areas. Coalfield Areas Fund £270,000 for regeneration projects. East Midlands English Partnerships £21 million provision of industrial and commercial sites. Plans announced: 173 acres acquired for development. the provision of 176,000 sq ft of new factory space. TEC and Employment Service £23.7 million additional budget allocation for coalfield areas. Robin Hood Line £6.5 million to help extend the Robin Hood Line from Newstead to Mansfield (Stage 2). Coalfield Areas fund £2.4 million regeneration projects in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. East Midlands Development Organisation £650,000 two years funding for the new East Midlands Development Organisation, to promote inward investment. Annesley Flagship Business Park. Enterprise Zone Enterprise Zones to be designated in the districts of Mansfield, Ashfield, North East Derbyshire and Bassetlaw. Coal Authority To be based in Mansfield. 188W Assisted Area status Mansfield TTWA upgraded from Non-Assisted Area to Development Area Status. Alfreton and Ashfield; Chesterfield; Retford; and Worksop upgraded from Non-Assisted Area to Intermediate Area status. Regional Enterprise Grants Regional Enterprise Grants extended to specific wards in coalfield areas. Regional Selective Assistance Johnson Control: 450 jobs, £1–7 million grant. West Midlands English Partnerships £7 million for the provision of industrial and commercial sites. Plans announced: 70,000 sq ft of new factory space at High Carr and 27,500 sq ft of factory space at Fenton, both in North Staffordshire. Negotiations continue regarding other sites in both North and South Staffordshire. TECs and Employment Service £8.4 million additional budget allocation for the coalfield areas of North Staffordshire, South Staffordshire and North Warwickshire. Coalfield Areas Fund £820,000 for regeneration projects in Stoke. Regional Enterprise Grants Regional Enterprise Grants extended to specific wards in the Trentham and Littleton areas. Objective 2 status Stoke will get Objective 2 status for the first time. Much of the southern Staffordshire coalfield will also be included. Strategic Projects Support for projects in Stoke:—Minton Hollins distribution centre; Fenton Manor Business Park—infrastructure works. Trentham: site investigations at Trentham North and provision for access at Trentham South.