§ Mr. SternTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to amend the processes by which central Government funds are channelled to local development agencies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenThe only central Government funds for local development agencies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible are those channelled through the experimental local development agencies development fund. We are at present awaiting the first progress report from the committee administering the fund and in the meantime have no plans to change it.
My right hon. Friend has recently amended the terms and conditions under which the fund is administered to permit him to require the committee to withhold or vary the conditions attached to a particular grant in those exceptional circumstances where such action is justified in the public interest.
This safeguard should not normally affect the day-to-day administration of the fund. We have, however, invited interested parties to make representations about the change and these are being considered.