§ Mr. Murphyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline future initiatives planned for the residents of inner city areas.
§ Mr. John PattenMy right hon. Friend will shortly be laying before the House orders to establish urban development corporations in the black country, Tyne and Wear and Teesside, in addition to those already existing in London and Liverpool docklands and Trafford park, Greater Manchester.
I will shortly be launching the new urban regeneration grant which will directly support regeneration programmes for larger sites in urban areas under powers contained in the Housing and Planning Act 1986.
The Department is currently considering strategic three-year inner area programmes for 1987–88 to 1989–90 submitted by 57 urban authorities to which over £270 million has been allocated through the urban programme for 1987–88.
Resources for estate action— the Department's initiative to help local authorities tackle the problems of housing estates—will he increased by 50 per cent. to £75 million for 1987–88, enabling over 82,000 dwellings to be renovated.