§ Mr. GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what schemes are available for local authorities to apply for funds to contribute to the establishment of closed circuit television for a town or city centre. [27848]
§ Mr. MacleanLocal authorities can bid for funds under the single regeneration budget for various purposes, including the establishment of CCTV schemes. The recent CCTV challenge competition has injected £5 million into local CCTV schemes, generating up to £13.8 million in other funding. The possibility of further competitions in the future has not been ruled out, but it is too early to give a firm commitment.
§ Mr. GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which towns and cities have received grants for the establishment of closed circuit television systems in town or city centres in the last five years; and what was the total amount given for each year and to each project. [27847]
§ Mr. MacleanThe only direct grants made by this department for this purpose were the recent awards to the winners of the CCTV challenge competition, which included many town and city centre schemes. The results of the competition were announced on 27 March. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) on 31 March,Official Report, columns 854–56. Other funding has been made available for such schemes in the past via safer cities projects, through the single regeneration budget, or by police forces or local authorities. Information on the funding of CCTV schemes from these sources is not collected centrally.