§ 33. Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications have been made for urban and derelict land grants since their inception; and how many of these have been accepted.
§ Mr. Giles ShawUrban and derelict land grants have existed in their modern form since 1968 and 1966, respectively. The information is not available in the detail requested, but a measure of the size which the two programmes have reached can be gauged from current figures.
Under the urban programme some 7,000 to 8,000 projects are currently being supported with resources totalling £280 million, and we have provided £348 million for 1983–84. In the derelict land programme applications last year and in the current year numbered nearly 700 and 1,300 respectively; the proportions of corresponding approvals were 70 per cent. and 73 per cent. More than 1,600 schemes are at present in progress backed by resources this year of some £45 million for the normal programme and of another special £30 million for the supplementary programme to take up local authority underspending. The provision for 1983–84 is £75 million. This compares with just under £21 million five years ago.