HC Deb 19 December 1994 vol 251 cc965-6W
Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much he proposes to spend on assistance to people sleeping rough on streets outside London this winter.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

It is the responsibility of each local authority, in drawing up its annual housing strategy, to consider the housing needs of all people living in its area, including people sleeping rough. In 1994–95 the Government are providing £6.8 million in grants to over 150 projects across England that provide direct, practical assistance to people who are either homeless or in danger of becoming so and who might otherwise sleep rough.

projects to be funded under the single regeneration budget (a) how many bids were not successful, (b) what was the total value of the unsuccessful bids, (c) how many (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful bids involve a local authority as active participant (d) how many (1) successful and (2) unsuccessful bids support the teaching of ethnic minority pupils, and (e) what was the value of (x) successful and (y) unsuccessful bids to support the teaching of ethnic minority pupils; and if he will make a statement for (A) Eastern region, (B) East Midlands region, (C) London region, (D) Merseyside region, (E) North East region, (F) North West region, (G) South East region, (H) South region, (I) West Midlands region. (J) Yorkshire region and (K) Humberside region.

Mr. Curry

[holding answer Friday 9 December 1994]: The information requested is as follows:

  1. (a) 268 bids were unsuccessful;
  2. (b) the total value of funds requested by these bids in 1995–96 was approximately £144 million;
  3. (c) (i) 183 successful bids had local authorities as a partner;
  4. (c) (ii) 192 unsuccessful bids had local authorities as a parnter;
  5. (d) (1) 51 successful bids contained proposals to support the teaching of ethnic minority pupils;
  6. (d) (2) 38 unsuccessful bids contained proposals to support the teaching of ethnic minority pupils;
  7. (e) (x) the total value of funds obtained by successful bids which contained proposals to support the teaching of ethnic minority pupils is approximately £92 million in 1995–96;
  8. (e) (y) the total value of funds requested by unsuccessful bids which contained proposals to support the teaching of ethnic minority pupils is approximately £49 million in 1995–96.

The breakdown by Government offices for the regions is given in the table, using the references in the hon. Gentleman's question:

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the average cost to a local authority of submitting a bid to the single regeneration budget.

Mr. Curry

None.