§ 77. Dr. TwinnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the planned level of expenditure on the estate action programme in(a) 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90.
§ Mr. TrippierThe provision for additional allocations under the estate action programme in 1988–89 is £140 million. We expect that local authorities will make full use of these resources in expenditure in the current year.
For 1989–90 the estate action budget has been increased by 36 per cent. to £190 million. The initial distribution between the regions will be as follows:
Total £million London 33.643 North West 51.606 Merseyside 18.423 Yorkshire and Humberside 22.175 Northern 13.545 East Midlands 10.719 West Midlands 25.736 South East 1.040 Eastern 1.115 South West 2.025 180.027 A total of £10 million will be held as a central reserve to provide flexibility in managing the programme and to support good new schemes which might come forward later in the year.
The distribution of resources between the regions is based upon the volume and quality of bids received from local authorities for individual schemes.
626WI am delighted that the Government's desire to improve living conditions on neglected and run-down council housing estates will receive this very considerable boost.