§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a community initiative fund to promote the development of neighbourhood facilities and amenities.
§ Mr. Nicholas Bennett[holding answer 26 February 1992]: EC Community initiatives and associated funding are the responsibility of the European Commission. The Commission's mid-term review of the last reform of the EC structural funds, which is to include a chapter on 546W "Guidelines for the Future", is expected to issue later this month. One of the issues under consideration is the case for modifying objective 2 areas—areas of industrial decline, in Wales, Industrial South Wales and Clwyd—to give greater emphasis to urban regeneration. During the review, we will be pressing for designation of as many eligible areas as possible within Wales.
Both the EC RECHAR and LEADER programmes, for industrial south Wales and rural mid-Wales respectively, have recently received European Commission approval and will make European regional development and European social fund grant assistance available for a wide range of measures in coalfield and rural areas, including social infrastructure and local community based developments.
The Community Development Foundation—CDF— has set up an office in Wales with the aim of promoting greater understanding of the value of community development and assisting specific community projects in the Principality. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales was pleased to launch this initiative formally in October 1990—one of the many community initiatives under the programme for the valleys—and provide urban programme aid to run two pilot schemes in Rhondda and Ogwr.
The Welsh Development Agency is providing support for a community enterprise initiative within the valleys programme area, which is aimed at stimulating a range of community self-help projects offering economic benefit— for example, community businesses—encompassing the provision of advice as well as financial assistance. Some £200,000 per annum has been provided under this initiative by the WDA since the programme started.
"Landscape Wales", the WDA's land reclamation and environmental programme, aimed at the restoration of the Welsh landscape, includes schemes which assist in the provision of local amenities—for example, sports fields, recreation facilities, country parks, picnic sites, cycle ways, the external improvement of redundant buildings in order to bring them into reuse for the benefit of the community, and so on. In 1991–92 the budget for Landscape Wales is £31 million.
Last December, my right hon. Friend announced, as a further stage of the rural initiative, a fresh series of measures to strengthen and carry forward rural programmes across the economic, environmental and social fields. These measures include an annual competition of local authority capital projects designed for the benefit of rural communities. We are particularly keen that the community councils are allowed full opportunity to put forward proposals on behalf of their local communities, and that social as well as economic and environmental schemes are adequately represented. For 1992–93, the Secretary of State has allocated £6 million to fund the competition.
The Development Board for Rural Wales is also actively involved in the social development of its area. In 1991–92, £1 million has been made available to launch the board's social development action programme, which covers youth, community, sports, arts and cultural development. Emphasis will also be placed on improving the environment, better entertainment and cultural provision, and enhancing activities which promote the Welsh language and culture.