§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list(a) the level of funds available for the regeneration programme for the next three years, (b) the number of market towns that have received support in 2001–02 and (c) the number of market towns, as defined by the Government. [18786]
§ Alun MichaelFrom next April regional development agencies will make their forward spending plans within single budgets covering all their activities, rather than in several separate programme budgets. Rural regeneration budgets will no longer be separately identified within regional development agency total budgets. However regional development agencies must identify key planned rural outputs, and will in due course be able to report in arrears on actual expenditure in rural areas.