HC Deb 24 June 1994 vol 245 c349W
Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what indication he has given to Brixton city challenge that its grant is to be curtailed.

Mr. Baldry

Following a ministerial annual review of Brixton challenge, officials wrote to the chairman of the company on 10 March, indicating that it was not possible to approve the 1994–95 action plan at that time. Since then, the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction has met representatives of the three parties on Lambeth council, and the chairman of Brixton challenge. Satisfactory assurances have been given with regard to the implementation of the Brixton challenge 1994–95 action plan, and the Minister therefore wrote to the party leaders and chairman on 22 June confirming the continuation of funding.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on Brixton city challenge.

Mr. Baldry

It was not possible to approve a second year of operation for Brixton challenge before the start of the current financial year because of their poor performance in 1993–94. However, assurances have now been given by the three party leaders at Lambeth that they will fully support Brixton challenge in the future, and the 1994–95 action plan has been revised by the company to make up for outputs lost last year. In these circumstances, the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction wrote to the Brixton challenge chairman and the Lambeth party leaders on 22 June informing them that he is now willing to approve a continuation of funding.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received concerning Brixton city challenge.

Mr. Baldry

The Department has recently received three representations concerning Brixton city challenge.