HC Deb 03 March 1995 vol 255 cc769-70W
. McMaster

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will consider the Glenburn area of Paisley, or any part of it, as a priority partnership area under his progress in partnership policy; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will consider (a) the Johnstone/Elderslie area, (b) the Foxbar area of Paisley, (c) the south end of Paisley or (d) the Hunterhill/Lochfield Dykebar area of Paisley, or any part of those areas, as a priority partnership area under his progress in partnership policy; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

Following the publication on 26 January 1995 of the Scottish urban regeneration policy statement, "Programme for Partnership", the Scottish Office plans further consultation on the implementation of the new proposals. A consultation paper on implementation arrangements will be circulated shortly to the bodies concerned and this will set out proposals on the way in which priority partnership areas will be selected. There will be a key role for local authorities and their regeneration partners in this process. As the consultation paper will focus on processes rather than the identification of areas, it is too early to say which areas will be designated as priority partnership areas. It is likely that the first such areas will be designated later this year.

Mr. McMaster

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider the(a) existing Renfrew district and/or (b) proposed Renfrewshire unitary authority for a city/district-wide initiative under his programme for partnership policy; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

Following the publication on 26 January 1995, of the Scottish urban regeneration policy statement, "Programme for Partnership", The Scottish Office plans further consultation on the implementation of the new proposals. A consultation paper on implementation arrangements will be circulated shortly to the key bodies concerned and this will set out proposals on those areas which might be served by the city/district—wide partnerships proposed in the policy statement. Decisions on the areas in which the Scottish Office will encourage the formation of such partnerships will be taken in the light of the responses to this consultation paper and so it is too early to say where these will be. It is, however, open in any event to local authorities and other bodies to establish partnerships of this kind on their own initiative.