§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about single regeneration budgets; and if he will make a statement.
461W
§ Mr. CurryGovernment offices for the regions and Government Departments have received several hundred responses and comments about the single regeneration budget including those made following consultation on the draft bidding guidance for the budget.
§ Mr. BurdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what measures are being taken to protect the existing spending commitments for current estate action schemes under the new bidding regime of the single regeneration budget;
(2) what measures are being taken to protect the existing spending commitments of the urban programme under the new bidding regime of the single regeneration budget;
(3) what measures are being taken to protect existing spending commitments for the inner city task forces under the new bidding regime of the single regeneration budget;
(4) what measures are being taken to protect existing spending commitments of city action teams under the new bidding regime of the single regeneration budget.
§ Mr. CurryMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment told the House on 4 November 1993,Official Report, column 515, that continuing commitments under the 20 programmes which have been combined in the single regeneration budget will be met. These programmes include estate action, the urban programme, inner-city task forces and city action teams.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the successful bids under the single regeneration budget scheme.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the housing implications for local authorities of the single regeneration budget.
§ Mr. CurryThe objectives of the single regeneration budget include the improvement of housing through physical improvements, greater choice and better management and maintenance. The budget will support this objective through meeting continuing commitments on housing-related programmes which have been combined in the Budget. These programmes include estate action, which is implemented by local authorities. The budget may also support housing measures which local authorities and their partners put forward for support in 1995–96 and later years through the current competitive bidding round for uncommitted budget resources.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors and charges in the 1991 index of local conditions are relevant to the single regeneration budget; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CurryThe relevance of the index of local conditions to the single regeneration budget is set out in paragraph 35 of the bidding guidance for the budget, issued on 14 April 1994, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total amount of urban and regeneration expenditure, excluding urban programme, listed for each separate urban programme area for each year since 1980–81 at(a) cash prices and (b) current prices.
462W
§ Mr. CurryInformation in the form requested for all programmes now combined in the single regeneration budget could be provided only at disproportionate cost as, for most of these programmes, it has not been the practice to collect information on a local authority district basis.
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the outline bids at each regional office in respect of the single regeneration budget are now being worked up to be considered at the next stage of the process; and if he will make a statement on the progress to date.
§ Mr. CurryIt is for individual bidders to decide whether to work up bids to be submitted by 7 September. But, on the basis of existing information, about half of those who have expressed an interest in bidding are expected to work up their outline proposals for submission to the Government offices for the regions.