§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the abolition of the Partnership Investment Programme on the Government's 60 per cent. target for development on brownfield sites. [132571]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe necessary closure of the PIP scheme, following a European Commission decision, is not helpful to us in achieving the 60 per cent. target. However, this funding mechanism was only one method of achieving a target to which a number of programmes and policies contribute. We are determined to achieve that target. As announced in the Spending Review last week, we are making additional substantial resources available to the RDA's programmes, including £60 million this year and £150 million next year for physical regeneration.