§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for the future of the safer cities programme. [7984]
§ Angela EagleGovernment funding for the remaining Safer Cities projects will end, as planned, by March 1998. The Safer Cities programme is part of the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and new crime prevention and community safety schemes can be included in bids for round 4 of the SRB Challenge Fund. Over 50 per cent. of the schemes successful in the first three rounds of the Challenge. Fund have had crime prevention as an objective. The Government regards crime prevention as a vital issue directly affecting quality of life.