§ Lord Penderasked Her Majesty's Government:
What role the new Urban Regeneration Agency will have in areas affected by coal pit closures, including those in East Kent, where the pits were closed a few years ago and short term replacement employment provided by the construction of the Channel Tunnel will shortly come to an end.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Strathclyde)The Urban Regeneration Agency will subsume the existing programmes of English Estates, City Grant and Derelict Land Grant. Its primary aim will be to bring vacant and derelict land in urban areas back into use. It will also be able to continue the existing work 73WA of Derelict Land Grant and English Estates outside urban areas. English Estates is already involved in the provision of industrial and commercial sites and premises in coalfield areas within the Assisted Areas. The President of the Board of Trade announced on 19th October that English Estates would bring forward a £75 million programme of premises and site provision over the next three years as part of the assistance package in connection with possible coal closures following the current energy review. This programme will be inherited by the Urban Regeneration Agency when it takes over responsibility for English Estates.