§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey of 6 March, Official Report, column 729, he will make a further statement about action he has taken in the light of the report of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Advisory Commission on urban priority areas entitled "Faith in the City".
§ Mr. John PattenThe Department has continued to take action to encourage urban renewal and improve housing in the areas of need through the urban programme and other initiatives such as estate action, which helps local authorities to tackle the problems of housing estates, particularly those in outer areas specifically referred to in "Faith in the City". For 1987–88 estate action's resources have been increased by 50 per cent. to £75 million. The Government are also taking further measures to stimulate urban regeneration through the introduction of new urban development corporations and the new urban regeneration grant, which will help develop larger, underused urban sites.