§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the scale of deprivation of the Birmingham inner city partnership core area compared with the other partnership authorities, giving figures showing the scale and intensity;
380W(2) if he will make a statement on the level and concentration of deprivation in the Birmingham inner city partnership core area.
§ Sir George YoungAn indication of the concentration of deprivation in the Birmingham partnership core area is given by the basic z-score, which takes account of various indicators of deprivation as described in Census Information Note No. 2, which was placed in the Library of the House on 15 February 1983. The following table shows the basic z-score for the Birmingham partnership core area by comparison with that for other partnerships. Details of the comparative scale of deprivation in the partnership's core areas will take a little longer to produce, and I will write to the hon. Member.
Intensity of deprivation in partnership authorities' inner areas Basic z-score Manchester/Salford special area 5.39 Lambeth area of need 6.27 Liverpool special area 4.91 Newcastle/Gateshead partnership area 3.32 Birmingham core area 8.48 Hackney partnership area 6.69 Islington partnership area 4.80
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many census enumeration districts in the inner city partnership core area of Birmingham are in the worst (a) 2½ per cent., (b) 5 per cent. and (c) 10 per cent. in terms of deprivation; and what percentage of the total in the three categories are from Birmingham's core area.
§ Sir George YoungThe information requested is as follows:
Number of census enumeration districts (EDs) in the worst 2½ per cent., 5 per cent., and 10 per cent. in England, and the percentage that these represent of the total number of EDs in the Birmingham partnership core area, as derived from the 1981 census. Number of Eds No. of EDs as a percentage of the total No, of EDs in the Birmingham partnership core area Worst 2½ per cent. 291 52.9 Worst 5 per cent. 395 71.8 Worst 10 per cent. 470 85.4 Note: Total number of EDs in the core area is 550.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what initiatives he has taken since assuming office in respect of the core area of the Birmingham inner city partnership area.
§ Sir George YoungFor 1984–85 the allocation to the Birmingham partnership has been increased to £24.5 million, most of which will be directed to support a range of projects in the partnership core area intended to strengthen the local economy, improve the environment and alleviate social problems. This year a record number of voluntary sector schemes will be supported. The core area also benefits from urban development grant. Since the scheme was launched, 10 schemes submitted by Birmingham city council involving total investment of £66 million and UDG of £11.2 million have been approved, of which five schemes attracting UDG of £6.16 million and private sector investment of £23.8 million have been approved since June 1983.
381WIn 1983 the Birmingham partnership secured access to European regional development fund resources and this year 13 schemes have been submitted for ERDF grant worth £3 million. Yesterday my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction announced the extension of the priority estates project to six new areas, including Birmingham. This will help to improve conditions in rundown housing estates in the core area.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he will make assessments of the needs of the core area of the Birmingham inner city partnership from the proposed new Birmingham journey-to-work area unemployment statistics.
§ Sir George YoungMy Department already has access to data about unemployment at district and ward levels which help in assessing the needs of the core area of the Birmingham partnership. This will be supplemented by any information derived from travel-to-work area unemployment statistics.