§ Mr. Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it is planned to spend on the urban aid programme in the present financial year and in each of the next four years; and if he will make a statement about the aims of that programme and the progress being achieved as a result of it.
§ Mr. LaneIn the White Paper (Cmnd. 4829) published in November 1971 total expenditure on the urban programme in 1972–73 to 1975–76 in Great Britain was then estimated at some £48 million at 1971 prices. Details are given in the White Paper.
Revised estimates at 1972 prices will be available when the new White Paper on Public Expenditure is published.
The aim of the programme is to provide special help for urban areas with particularly acute social problems. Since 1968, when the programme began, some £25 million has been approved in England and Wales for about 2,260 projects in 185 local authority areas.