§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many 297W Lancashire market towns have received grants for regeneration under the new deal for market towns, giving the (a)grant amount and (b)reason of the grant; and if she will list the market towns which can not bid for the grant in Lancashire. [47426]
§ Alun MichaelThere are five towns in Lancashire in the market towns initiative—Barnoldswick, Padiham, Clitheroe, Garstang and Carnforth. There is no list of towns which cannot bid provided they meet the population size criteria of between 2,000 and 20,000.
The market town initiative is being taken forward on DEFRA's behalf by the regional development agencies, working with the Countryside Agency and local partners and using the £37 million of Government funding announced in the Rural White Paper. We hope that match funding will raise the resources available to market towns through the initiative to some £100 million. The process at a local level of creating a strong local partnership is important in itself. Most towns are still at the stage of community consultation prior to agreeing action plans, and approval of project grants will come at the next stage.