§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average cost per job created by urban development grant schemes.
§ Mr. John PattenThe 228 urban development grant projects so far approved represent £106 million of UDG and other public expenditure. It is estimated that, when completed. these projects will accommodate some 24,000 permanent jobs and will also have brought about 12,500 man years of construction activity and £441 million of private sector capital investment, as well as providing nearly 5,000 houses and flats and bringing into use 900 acres of urban land. Some offers of UDG are in whole or in part justified on grounds other than direct job creation, and average cost per job is not therefore a measure which fully reflects the performance of the programme.