§ Lord Norrie asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in the first two years of the Government's Action for Cities initiative.
§ Lord HeskethMy right honourable friend the Prime Minister is announcing today, two years after she launched the Government's Action for Cities initiative, that spending on the programmes which come within the initiative is to increase by £½ billion, from just under £3½ billion this year to around £4 billion in 1990/91.
Also today, my honourable friend the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities is publishing a new report entitled People in Cities, which highlights ways in which inner city residents are benefiting from the new opportunities being created in their areas and which emphasises the importance of the partnership and growing co-operation between business, central government, local authorities, voluntary organisations and local people.
Other announcements being made include the approval of funding for a new spine road to open up the Bristol Development Corporation area, the setting up of two new inner city task forces in the Wirral and in Derby and a large number of task force and city grant project approvals.
Today, the Prime Minister and all nine members of the special ministerial team appointed in December to spearhead action in the inner cities are visiting projects and reviewing progress in cities up and down the country.
Copies of the report will be placed in the Library and are also available in the Printed Paper Office.