§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many care and repair schemes are currently operative in Wales; and if he will make a statement on the future funding of such schemes.
§ Mr. GristSince March 1987 our Department has helped to establish 15 home improvement agencies in Wales. Ten schemes are funded by our Department under the care and repair agencies initiative and the remaining five from other sources of Welsh Office funding. Two further agencies are operating independently.
The performance of home improvement agencies has been monitored over the past three years by the school for advanced urban studies in Bristol and we are currently studying its conclusions. We will decide shortly on the future of existing agencies and their possible further development.