§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the expenditure of his Department is spent in inner cities.
§ Mr. RidleySpending from my Department's programmes specifically targeted at inner cities is expected to be about £1,070 million, 16 per cent, out of a public expenditure total of £6,833 million in 1988–89 for the housing and other environmental services. Inner city areas will also benefit from my Department's other countryside programmes which spend some of their resources in these areas; separate figures for inner cities are not available. Expenditure from these programmes which is not incorporated in the 16 per cent, includes: water authorities, heritage, recreation, local environmental services, other local authority current, most local authority spending on housing.