§ Mr. BettsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many schemes and to what value have been approved in 1994–95 under the private finance initiative; what are the estimates for the current financial year; how many schemes are currently being considered and at what value; for how long have they been considered and how many have been in the assessment process for over(a) six months and (b) 12 months; and what was the average length of time taken to assess schemes so far approved; [30844]
(2) by how much Government spending has changed in 1994–95 as a result of the private finance initiative; what is the estimated effect in 1995–96; how many jobs are to be created by schemes approved to date under the initiative and how many have been lost as a consequence in the public sector; and what is the forecast of transfer of employment from public to private sector over the last five years because of the initiative. [30845]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe Department of the Environment and its sponsored bodies attracted around £4 million in private investment in support of its programmes in 1994–95 and expects to lever-in a similar amount in 1995–96. This will assist the delivery of a very large number of projects, most notably ones relating to housing, inner cities and regeneration. Moreover, regulations to encourage and facilitate private finance initiative schemes in the local authority sector were implemented by the Government with effect from 1 April 1995 and further PFI-related legislative changes for local authorities are imminent. It is not practicable for the Department to collect detailed information on each project being advanced under private financing arrangements. There have been no changes in the Department's spending directly attributable to the PFI.