HC Deb 07 March 1995 vol 256 c160W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the single regeneration budget has a designated fund for promoting the development of electronic village halls and cyber skills by local councils.

Mr. Curry

No.

Ms Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the ratio of the single regeneration budget to the housing association-approved development programme in(a) the west Midlands and (b) London; and what considerations underlie the variation between (a) and (b).

Mr. Curry

Planned single regeneration budget expenditure for 1994–95 is some £175 million in the west midlands and £374 million in London. Allocations made at the start of 1994–95 from the Housing Corporation's approved development programme were some £126 million and £465 million respectively.

The ratios sought are thus (a) 1.4: 1 and (b) 0.8:1. As the two programmes have different objectives, outputs and areas of operation there is no reason why there should be any relationship between these ratios.