§ Norman LambTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times the(a) Urban Sounding Board, (b) Core Cities Working Group and (c) Arson Control Forum have met since they were established; how much each meeting cost; what the (i) annual budget since inception, (ii) projected budget for the next two years and (iii) current work programme of each body is; and if he will make a statement. [139783]
§ Keith Hill(a) The Urban Sounding Board met 9 times between April 2001 and September 2002.
Members were invited to join the Board in a voluntary capacity and received no remuneration. The estimated average costs of refreshments and travel and subsistence claims for each meeting were £900.
(i) and (ii) There was no specific annual budget for the Urban Sounding Board. Meeting costs were paid for out of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Urban Policy Directorate's general running costs budget.
(iii) The Sounding Board is to be replaced with smaller ad hoc working groups of external advisors and officials with specific time-limited remits focusing on key issues of concern to the Department, such as obstacles to physical regeneration and skills. Membership of these groups will be voluntary and non-remunerative.
(b) The Core Cities Working Group has met 14 times since its inception in April 2002. Members of the Working Group, including officials from central government and the Regional Development Agencies and local government officers from the Core Cities, attend meetings as part of their normal duties. The 1084W estimated average cost of refreshments for each meeting has been around £70. No other meeting costs have been incurred.
(i) and ii) No annual budgets have been set for the Working Group as running costs are minimal. Organisations participating all bear their own costs.
(iii) The Working Group is currently contributing to the evidence base supporting the government's Public Service Agreement target for regional economic performance. It is seeking to understand how competitive cities can contribute to improvements in regional economic growth through four sub groups focusing on: skills, innovation, better connectivity between cities and regions, and Strategic leadership, with a particular focus on key issues likely to make a difference. The group's work will feed into policy measures to be agreed as part of the Spending Review 2004.
(c) Since it was set up in April 2001 the Arson Control Forum has met 5 times. The estimated average cost of the room, refreshments and travel and substance claims for each meeting was £650.
(i) and (ii) The annual Arson Control Forum budget since its formal launch is:
£ Million 2001–02 1.20 2002–03 1.36 2003–04 4.02 (projected) 2004–05 4.47 (projected) 2005–06 4.80 (projected) (iii) The Arson Control Forum's main activities in its current work programme are the partial funding of local arson reduction projects in England & Wales, supported by a research programme into various aspects of the arson problem (e.g. the relationship between car arson and other car crimes), and the publication of best practice guides on arson prevention.