§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the value for money criteria set by English Partnerships in considering applications for assistance; and what variation there is by region. [34420]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordEnglish Partnerships investment guide, published in November 1994, specifies that all projects that the agency supports must offer good value for money in terms of the forecast outputs attributable to its investment. The guide details the five key outputs and sets out the appraisal criteria that the agency adopts and394W the priority areas in which it operates. The community investment guide provides similar information for the community investment fund. These publications ensure a consistent basis for approval throughout English Partnerships regions, within which each can express its own strategic priorities. Copies of the investment guide were placed in the Library on 24 November 1994.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of expenditure by region by English Partnerships in the financial year 1995–96. [34391]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordEnglish Partnerships expenditure by region on its development programme in 1995–96, the agency's second full financial year of operation, is set out in the table.
Region Expenditure £ million North East 34.3 North West 52.0 Yorkshire and Humberside 55.0 Midlands 58.0 South East 25.6 South West 11.8 Total 236.7
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many jobs have been(a) created and (b) retained by region as a result of English Partnerships investment in projects during 1995–96. [34418]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe agency's employment outputs do not currently distinguish on a comprehensive basis between jobs created and retained. This will be possible when the agency's new information technology project is fully implemented. The number of jobs which will be created or retained by region as a result of projects approved by English Partnerships in 1995–96 is set out in the table.
Region Total jobs expected to be created/retained North East 4,300 North West 6,500 Yorkshire and Humberside 8,000 Midlands 3,300 South East 1,600 South West 300 Total 24,000 These figures relate only to the direct employment outputs of English Partnerships investment arising on the sites themselves. The agency's development projects also have significant indirect employment benefits on wider local economies.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will provide a list of the projects over £1 million development cost by region for schemes that received funding from English Partnerships in 1995–96; [34393]
395W(2) if he will list the new projects by region over £1 million begun by English Partnerships since its formation, excluding projects inherited from (a) English Estates, (b) city grant, (c) urban development grant and (d) other programmes subsumed by English Partnerships. [34419]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordEnglish Partnerships has approved 218 projects, each costing over £1 million, since its formation in November 1993. Of these, 123 were approved in 1995–96. I have asked English Partnerships to write to the hon. Member with a list of these projects, by region. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of funding by English Partnerships, to(a) private sector, (b) local authority, (c) community, (d) voluntary sector, (e) non-departmental public bodies and (f) others in the financial year 1995–96. [34392]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordEnglish Partnerships records project information by programme. The partnership investment programme invests in strategic projects which draw together a wide range of partners, primarily the private sector and local authorities, and the land reclamation programme supports local authority reclamation projects. The community investment fund supports smaller projects, undertaken by the voluntary sector and community groups, which achieve community benefits. Most of the agency's partnership investment projects also have community benefits. In addition, the agency undertakes development on its own account through a direct development programme where the needs is great, no suitable partner exists, and where such action—land assembly—will facilitate further private sector development. The table gives a breakdown of expenditure by these categories in 1995–96:
Spend 1995–96 £ (million) Partnership Investment Programme 117.4 Land Reclamation Programme 84.4 Community Investment Fund 0.1 Voluntary Sector 1.0 Direct Development 33.8 Total 236.7
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many successful challenge fund bids English Partnerships is a partner in; if he will name them; and what are the amounts of money committed. [34351]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordEnglish Partnerships is a potential partner in delivering 106 of the successful challenge fund bids. Many of these projects have not yet reached the stage where financial resources can be committed and are currently under appraisal by the agency. I have asked English Partnerships to write to the hon. Member with a list of all these projects, by region. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
396W