HC Deb 18 July 1995 vol 263 cc1075-8W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to issue regional guidance for the second round of bidding for the single regeneration budget. [34064]

Sir Paul Beresford

Bidding guidance for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund was issued on 12 April 1995 and partnerships wishing to submit bids were required to send outline bids to Government offices for the regions by 16 June. We do not intend to publish any further guidance.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the outline bids received by the government offices for the regions for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund by 16 June, including the lead partner, the value of the bid and a summary of the content of the bid. [34360]

Mr. Curry

Copies of the outline bids submitted by bidders in the form set out in annexe B of the bidding guidance for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund, which include the information requested by the hon. Member, will be placed in the Library of the House shortly, with the exception of those bids which bidders themselves have requested should not be made public for reasons of confidentiality.

Challenge fund round one Challenge fund round two
Number of final bids submitted Approximate value £ million value of final bids submitted (estimated over lifetime) Number of final bids supported 1£ million value of final bids supported (estimated over lifetime) 2Number of outline bids submitted
London 124 800 49 316 202
Yorkshire and Humberside 38 370 22 202 58
Eastern 24 37 13 21 44

Letter from C. J. Shepley to Mr. Kevin Barron, dated 17 July 1995:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about: —the number of appeals to the Secretary of State for permission to create landfill sites that have been (a) granted and (b) refused (i) without and (ii) following the holding of a public inquiry in each year since 1991.

as this is a matter that has been delegated to the Executive Agency.

The attached table shows the number of planning appeal decisions involving the creation of landfill sites made in each year since 1991, the procedure by which the appeals were determined and the outcome.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the status of advice given by a Government office for the regions to a partnership submitting an outline bid for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund. [34358]

Mr. Curry

The status of advice given by Government offices for the regions to partnerships submitting an outline bid for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund is set out in paragraph 15 of the bidding guidance for the second round, issued on 12 April 1995, copies of which are in the Library of the House. This states that the advice given by Government offices is intended to give an indication to bidders of the extent to which their bids meet the objectives and criteria for the challenge fund and merit working up. Where bidders decide to proceed with final bids the paragraph goes on to make it clear that information and advice given by Government offices is without prejudice to Ministers' decisions on the final bids.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each region(a) the number and value of full bids submitted for the first round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund in September 1994, (b) the number and value of bids -supported by the Government in the first round of allocations announced in December 1994 and (c) the number of outline bids submitted for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund in June. [34356)

Mr. Curry

The information requested is in the table.

Challenge fund round one Challenge fund round two
Number of final bids submitted Approximate value £ million value of final bids submitted (estimated over lifetime) Number of final bids supported 1£ million value of final bids supported (estimated over lifetime) 2Number of outline bids submitted
South east 52 80 19 32 66
North west 56 240 21 143 96
Merseyside 23 135 14 78 26
South west 34 100 10 34 66
West Midlands 37 280 13 157 73
East Midlands 26 110 11 56 43
North east 55 180 29 81 99
Total 469 2,332 201 1,120 773
1 Subject to availability of resources.
2 Provisional figures.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to achieve a consistent approach by the Government offices for the regions in handling the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund. [34354]

Mr. Curry

As with the first challenge fund bidding round, the availability of national bidding guidance, with common objectives and assessment criteria, provides a nationally consistent framework within which second round bids will be assessed by Government offices.

In addition, the second round bidding arrangements include a more structured outline bidding stage, with a pro-forma requiring common information from all bidders; and a requirement for bidders to prioritise the elements in their bid and to specify whether and how their bid could be scaled up or down. Three seminars have also been held for over 150 Government office staff dealing with bids at which those attending participated in case study exercises and discussed arrangements for handling second round bids. These seminars are in addition to arrangements put in place by Government offices themselves to ensure that bids are considered in accordance with the bidding guidance.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the timetable and procedure to be adopted by the Government offices for the regions in responding to the outline bids received for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund. [34359]

Mr. Curry

The timetable and procedure to be adopted by Government offices for the regions in responding to outline bids received for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund are set out in paragraphs 15 to 17 inclusive and annexe H of the bidding guidance for the second round, issued on 12 April 1995, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the role of Ministers in deciding which of the partnerships submitting outline bids for the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund should be encouraged to submit full bids. [34357]

Mr. Curry

The arrangements for considering second round SRB challenge fund bids are set out in the bidding guidance issued on 12 April, copies of which are in the Library of the House. In particular, paragraph 15 explains that it is for Government offices to give an indication to bidders on the extent to which their bids meet the objectives and criteria for the challenge fund and merit working up. Ministers are provided with summary information about all outline bids. They take decisions on the final bids received in the light of recommendations from Government offices.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on means of improving the co-ordination of single regeneration bids at a local level; and what steps he has taken to achieve this. [34355]

Mr. Curry

The local authority associations have proposed that the Government should give priority to bids supported by local co-ordinating groups established and co-ordinated by local authorities with training and enterprise councils. Paragraph 11 of the bidding guidance for round 2 already makes it clear that local authorities and TECs can be expected to have a central role in bringing together challenge fund partnerships. The Government do not, however, wish to exclude or discourage other organisations, including the private, voluntary and community sectors, which may be capable of playing a lead role in encouraging local partnerships, and not intend to allocate to any group a privileged position in the bidding process.