§ Sir Irvine PatnickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the work of the Sheffield development corporation since its inception; and which organisation has been designated to continue its work. [16292]
§ Mr. CurryAs my hon. Friend will recall, recognition was given to the work of the Sheffield development corporation during the recent parliamentary debates on the winding up of the corporation—Official Report, Second Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, 28 January 1997 and Official Report, House of Lords 6 February 1997 columns 1801–04. I fully endorse the views expressed by the Under-Secretary of State. It is clear that there is agreement on all sides that Sheffield development corporation has fulfilled its mission to bring economic regeneration to the lower Don valley and has made a most significant contribution to changing the image of Sheffield.
No single organisation has been designated to continue regeneration in Sheffield. The city council and British Waterways will bring to a conclusion a number of projects under way at the end of the corporation's lifetime. It is for the city council and other local partners to reach a conclusion on whether they wish to establish a single-purpose organisation to take regeneration forward. We have shown our commitment to partnership working in Sheffield by committing £124 million to projects in the city over the next seven years under the single regeneration budget challenge fund, capital challenge and estates renewal challenge fund.