HC Deb 21 February 1989 vol 147 cc563-5W
Ms. Gordon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will give a breakdown of the total value of all future public expenditure currently committed for the London docklands urban development area under the following headings (i) expenditure on improvements to the A13, (ii) expenditure on new roads, including the docklands highways, (iii) expenditure on the dockland light railway including planned extensions, (iv) expenditure on other transport infrastructure and (v) other committed expenditure;

(2) if he will give a breakdown of the total value of all public expenditure incurred by Government to date in the London docklands urban development area under the following headings (i) total expenditure by the London Docklands Development Corporation, including grant-in-aid, (ii) other expenditure incurred by his Department, including urban development grant, derelict land grant, city grant and Inner Urban Area Act moneys, (iii) total expenditure by the Department of Transport on new roads, road improvements, the docklands light railway, including the Bank extension and any other transport infrastructure, (iv) total Government expenditure incurred by the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone, including rates foregone and capital allowances claimed and (v) all expenditure incurred by any other Government Departments.

Mr. Trippier

I will write to the hon. Member.

Ms. Gordon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of projected grant-in-aid to the London Dockland development corporation for each year for the next five years.

Mr. Trippier

The Government currently plan to make the following grant in aid available to the London Docklands development corporation:

Financial year £ million
1989–90 86
1990–91 104
1991–92 94

No provision has been made for 1992–93 and beyond at present.

Ms. Gordon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make publicly available any research undertaken for or by either the Government or the London Dockland development corporation on changes in land or property values in the London docklands urban development area since 1981.

Mr. Trippier

The Department has not commissioned such research. Relevant information is held by the LDDC, but is commercially confidential.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what arrangement the London Docklands development corporation has with the London borough of Newham to deal with training; how many people are in docklands-related training in Newham, categorised by age, gender and ethnicity; and what are the targets for future years;

(2) how many jobs have been created by the London Docklands development corporation in the London borough of Newham; and how many of them went to Newham residents;

(3) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East of 14 February, what specific steps the London Docklands development corporation has taken to ensure jobs in docklands go to Newham residents.

Mr. Trippier

I will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the job description, powers arid responsibilities of Ms. Dru Vestey of the London Docklands development corporation.

Mr. Trippier

Director of the corporation's royal docks area team.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements the London Docklands development corporation has with industrial training boards for training.

Mr. Trippier

The LDDC works closely with the relevant industrial training boards, on industrial training initiatives and projects. A particularly close relationship is enjoyed with the construction industry training board, which is a member of the Tower Hamlets training co-ordination group set up jointly by the LDDC and the borough council.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements the London Docklands development corporation has with developers for training.

Mr. Trippier

Where appropriate, the LDDC as landowner or local planning authority encourages developers to participate in the improvement of training n docklands, for example by providing direct contributions to or facilities for training initiatives.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to make available minutes of member level meetings between the London borough of Newham and the London Docklands development corporation to hon. Members.

Mr. Trippier

No. The availability of minutes of meetings is a matter for the two bodies concerned.

Ms. Gordon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of land receipts received by the London Docklands development corporation each year since 1981; and to what ends these receipts have been put.

Mr. Trippier

The London Docklands development corporation has reported the following receipts from the sale of land:

Financial year £ million
1982–83 1
1983–84 2
1984–85 5
1985–86 8
1986–87 22
1987–88 41

The receipt for 1982–83 was surrendered to the Exchequer. All subsequent receipts have been deployed by LDDC to regenerate docklands.