HC Deb 25 January 1995 vol 253 cc199-201W
Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list those of his Department's

Local transport capital—1993–94
South East South West West Midland North West Mersey-side North East Yorks & Humber-side East Midland Eastern London Total
Transport Supplementary Grant 77.718 32.278 61.856 49.858 15.098 24.347 54.584 21.509 35.283 58.310 430.841
Public Transport Facilities Grant 0.0 0.0 0.013 00 0.0 0.0 18.156 0.250 0.0 0.0 18.419

responsibilities which are administered by the integrated regional offices and, for each integrated regional office, the estimated annual expenditure on each of these responsibilities;

(2) if he will list those of his Department's responsibilities on which integrated regional offices are responsible for preparing, advising on or implementing regional policy;

(3) if he will list those of his Department's responsibilities on which the integrated regional offices are required to advise him on the allocation of resources and, for each integrated regional office, the annual expenditure on each programme.

Mr. Norris

The Government offices for the regions play an important role in advising Ministers on the regional implementation of national transport policies, covering all modes of transport. They advise on local authority transport programmes and policies and on the allocation of resources for local transport capital expenditure, including transport supplementary grant, public transport facilities grant—under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968Industrial Development Act grant and associated credit approvals.

The Government offices liaise with the Highways Agency on the trunk road programme and contribute to advice to Ministers on the programme's content and progress. They also provide advice to Ministers on the transport aspects of programmes administered by other Departments.

Local transport capital expenditure in 1993–94, the last complete financial year, is shown in the table.

The total running cost to the Department of the Government Offices for the current financial year is forecast to be as follows:

£ million
Eastern 0.247
East Midlands 0.218
London 2.462
Mersey side 0.079
North East1 0.443
North West 0.180
South East 0.430
South West 0.260
West Midlands 0.227
Yorkshire and Humberside 0.230
Total 4.784
1 The figure for the Government office for the north east includes running costs incurred in carrying out the Secretary of State's role in confirming orders promoted by local authorities under the Highways Act 1980 and for highways under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981, a national activity carried out for all regions.

Local transport capital—1993–94
South East South West West Midland North West Mersey-side North East Yorks & Humber-side East Midland Eastern London Total
Industrial Development Act Grant 0.0 0.124 0.428 0.276 0.0 0.494 0.446 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.768
Total Credit Approvals 112.096 50.632 85.930 76.810 40.541 38.456 146.195 34.690 48.793 83.770 717.913
Total 189.814 83.034 148.227 126.944 55.639 63.297 219.381 56.449 84.076 142.080 1,168.941

Note: All Figures in £ Million

Bids for support are considered competitively on merit. There are no set allocations for regions, and funding will fluctuate from year to year according to need and progress on major schemes