§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proposals he has to reduce the levels of poverty in London; and if he will make a statement. [121781]
§ Yvette CooperIncreasing opportunity and improving the delivery of public services to our most deprived communities is the cornerstone to our approach for tackling poverty wherever it occurs. The Local Strategic Partnerships in the 20 most deprived London boroughs will receive almost £350 million between April 2001 and March 2006 from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to improve services to tackle poverty and deprivation in London.
London will also receive over £500 million over 10 years through the New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme. 10 of England's 39 NDC areas are in London—West Ham & Plaistow, Shoreditch, and Ocean in Tower Hamlets, New Cross Gate in Lewisham, EC1 in Islington, Aylesbury, Clapham Park, North Fulham, Seven Sisters and South Kilburn. European Structural Funds have made £570 million available over seven years in support of disadvantaged groups and areas in London.
These are just three examples of Government action to tackle poverty and social exclusion in the capital.