HC Deb 14 November 1983 vol 48 cc299-300W
Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the criteria under which, in July 1983. special inner urban assistance designation was granted to, elected districts.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

The review which led to recommendations for further designation under the Inner Urban Areas Act 1978 assessed relative deprivation on the basis mainly of the following factors: population and population change, job loss, unemployment levels and distribution and general social conditions (for example single parent households, pensioners living alone, overcrowding, households lacking exclusive use of basic amenities).

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how the assessment of the Rhymney Valley district compared with that of those districts designated for special inner urban assistance (a) in July of 1983 and (b) prior to July 1983.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

Prior to the reveiw of designated status carried out earlier this year, five districts in Wales, Blaenau Gwent, Cardiff, Newport, Rhondda and Swansea were designated under the provision of the Inner Urban Areas Act 1978. At that time the scale and intensity of deprivation in these areas was assessed as substantially higher than that in the Rhymney Valley district. Following the review, which took account of 1981 Census information, eight districts, the five existing designated districts together with Merthyr Tydfil, Cynon Valley and Afan, were assessed as having levels of deprivation higher in varying degrees than any other Welsh districts including the Rhymney Valley district.

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if the criteria used in the July 1983 designation of districts for special inner urban assistance reflected any change from criteria used in previous designations.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

The criteria which applied to all designations now in use remain basically the same. Greater account was taken of job loss and health statistics as compared with previous assessments while some statistics (such as information on free shool meals and derelict land and standardised mortality rates) were no longer included.