§ Sir Trevor Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the identification of title to land may be a complicating factor in urban development corporations aggregating areas of derelict land for redevelopment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierIdentification of title to land has not been a major obstacle to the assembly of land by urban development corporations.
§ Sir Trevor Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money he plans to allocate to urban development corporations for inner city rehabilitation during each of the next five years; and what role he anticipates the private sector will play in their operations.
§ Mr. TrippierPlanned spending by urban development corporations until the financial year 1989–90 was set out in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1987–88 to 1989–90" (Cm. 56-II, table 3.10.10).
The private sector will have a crucial role to play in bringing its skills and resources to bear in the regeneration of these areas.
§ Sir Trevor Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the members of the seven urban 132W development corporations so far established; and if he will give a general description of their geographical area within the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. TrippierThe information is as follows.
The members of the six urban development corporations in England are:
Black Country DC
Mr. Bill Francis (Chairman), Mrs. Jean Denton (Deputy Chairman), Councillor Joe Adams, Councillor Eric Alison, Mr. Charles Darby, Mr. Roy Kettle, Mr. Graham McKenzie, Councillor Ray Partridge, Mr. Paul Sabapathy, Mr. Michael Worley.
London Docklands DC
Mr. Christopher Benson (Chairman), Mr. John Mills (Deputy Chairman), Mr. Alan Benjamin, Mrs. Jennifer d'Abo, Sir Andrew Derbyshire, Sir John Garlick, Councillor Jonathon Matthews, Mr. Lewis Moss, Mr. Dennis Stevenson, Mr. Reg Ward.
Merseyside DC
Mr. Donald Foster (Chairman), Mr. John Smith (Deputy Chairman), Professor Graham Ashworth, Professor Noel Boaden, Mr. John Leighton Boyce, Mr. Philip Carter, Councillor Thomas Glover, Councillor John Hale, Mr. Clive Lewis, Dr. John Ritchie.
Teesside DC
Mr. Ron Norman (Chairman), Mr. Jack Dormand ( Deputy Chairman), Councillor Michael Carr, Mr. Alan Cherry, Mr. Nigel Clark, Mrs Diana Eccles, Councillor Bryan Hanson, Mr. Roger Kingdon, Mr. Andrew Russell, Mr. John Sutcliffe, Councillor Laurie Wild.
Trafford Park DC
Mr. Peter Hadfield (Chairman), Mr. Anthony Russell (Deputy Chairman ). Councillor Barry Brotherton, Mr. Peter Collins, Mr. Hugh Richards, Mr. Hamish Stewart, Councillor Colin Warbrick.
Tyne and Wear DC'
Mr. Paul Nicholson (Chairman), Mr. John Ward (Deputy Chairman), Mr. Graeme Anderson, Mr. John Barnsley, Councillor John Donnelly, Mr. John Hall, Dr. Ralph Iley, Mr. Joe Mills, Councillor Bert Moore. Councillor Septimus Robinson.
Cardiff Bay DC is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
The orders establishing the UDCs give a general description of their geographical areas.
§ Sir Trevor Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the powers of the urban development corporations under part XVI of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 to discharge their functions in areas of planning where their views conflict with those of local authorities.
§ Mr. TrippierSince 1981 the London Docklands Development Corporation and the Merseyside Development Corporation have discharged their functions successfully under the 1980 Act.
§ Ms. Armstrongasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the members appointed to urban development corporations; and if he will state the annual remuneration paid to each member.
§ Mr. TrippierI refer the hon. Member to my answer today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, North (Sir T. Skeet) in which I listed the members of UDCs.
Members of urban development corporations are generally part-time. The chairmen and deputy chairmen 133W are remunerated at a level reflecting their time commitment, which may vary. Members receive a flat rate. except Mr. Ward (LDDC) and Dr. Ritchie (MDC) who receive salaries as chief executives of their respective corporations.
The chairman and deputy chairman of London Docklands Development Corporation are currently paid £27,096 a year and £16,616 a year, respectively, on the basis of a time commitment of two days a week. Members receive £4.515 a year.
The chairmen of the other five corporations in England each currently receive £18,146 on the basis of two days a week, except for the chairman of the Tyne and Wear DC who received £13,610 on the basis of one and a-half days a week. The deputy chairmen of the five corporations each currently receive £6,158 a year on the basis of one day a week, except the deputy chairman of the Black Country DC who currently receives £12,316 a year on the basis of two days a week.
§ Ms. Armstrongasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria for selection he has used in making appointments to urban development corporations.
§ Mr. TrippierMy right hon. Friend has selected board members on the basis of their ability to do the job. He has included members who have a special knowledge of the locality and appropriate business or professional experience.