Urban Programme (Hansard, 3 February 1993)

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the black and Asian communities on the future of the urban programme; and what further consultations he plans to have.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
Decisions on the new urban programme arrangements were taken having regard to all the relevant factors, including their effect on the black and Asian communities. Taking city challenge together with the urban programme, resources will rise from £319 million in 1992–93 to £408 million in 1993–94. This will mean significant additional benefits for inner city residents, including ethnic minority communities.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to conduct a full review of urban policy.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
Urban policy will continue to be kept under review in the light of information derived from the 1991 census and other sources.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which categories of projects that were eligible to bid for urban programme funds are not eligible for urban partnership funds.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
All categories of urban programme capital projects and revenue projects directly linked to these are eligible to bid for urban programme funds; but in assessing bids we shall give preference to the factors listed under the assessment criteria set out in the operational guidance for the urban partnership fund.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to visit an urban programme scheme.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
Department of the Environment Ministers will continue to visit the urban priority areas on a regular basis and see a range of schemes supported by urban programme and other inner cities initiatives.

§ Mr. Fraser
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those organisations and bodies in Lambeth that will eventually cease to be funded under the urban programme.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
Organisations now funded under the urban programme will continue to receive support for up to four years for projects which have already been approved. They may also be eligible to receive support under city challenge or the urban partnership fund.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to have outturn figures on 233W the numbers of (a) projects supported, (b) jobs created or preserved and (c) training places supported, through the urban programme in 1991–92.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
I expect to have this information available by the end of May 1993.

§ Mr. Austin-Walker
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the Woolwich industrial estate and applications for city challenge, city grant and urban programme; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
The Woolwich industrial estate featured in the London borough of Greenwich's round 2 city challenge bid last April as an area where Government grant might assist the retention and expansion of firms. Against strong competition from other boroughs this bid was unsuccessful. Only one preliminary city grant application has been received from a company on the estate, but after discussions between the Department's appraiser and the developer's agent it was concluded that a full application was unlikely to succeed. The urban programme has assisted six firms on the estate with grants totalling £260,000 for improvements to their premises over the past four years and existing commitments continue to be funded. An application has now been made by the London borough of Greenwich under the new urban partnership fund, which supersedes the urban programme for new schemes in 1993–94, for grant towards environmental and security improvements to communal parts of the estate. The application is being considered and a decision is expected to be announced shortly.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 656–57, if he will publish a breakdown by each urban programme authority of (a) the 9,855 projects supported, (b) the 29,660 jobs created or preserved and (c) the 86,528 training places supported, through the urban programme in 1990–91;
(2) pursuant to his answers of 30 November 1992, Official Report, column 14, and 11 January, Official Report, columns 656–57, if he will publish a breakdown by each urban programme authority of the local authorities' forecasts of outputs in 1991–92 and 1992–93 of the urban programme in terms of (a) projects supported, (b) jobs created or preserved and (c) training places supported.

§ Mr. Robin Squire
I will write to the hon. Gentleman.