§ 25. Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to increase funding for community and youth organisations in Northern Ireland. [19633]
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§ Mr. AncramIn 1995–96, the Department of Education for Northern Ireland will increase its funding to the Youth Council for Northern Ireland by 3.2 per cent. to £2.05 million. It will be a matter for each education and library board to determine the funds to be allocated to youth services from within their block grant allocations. The Department of Health and Social Services will increase the grant to District councils for their support to independent advice centres by 45 per cent. to £377,000 and make an additional £275,000 per annum available for the development of volunteer bureaux. The Department of the Environment has made an additional £5 million available for the Community regeneration and improvement special programme for the three years to 1997–98, while the Making Belfast Work initiative will provide £50 million over the next two years. Community groups will also benefit from funding available between 1994 and 1999 under various sub-programmes in the single programming document.