HC Deb 28 February 1997 vol 291 cc393-6W
Sir Ivan Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total funding given by central Government Departments to voluntary bodies in the financial year 1994–95; and if she will make a statement. [18467]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Central Government funding of voluntary organisations in 1994–95, including grants from non-departmental public bodies, amounted to £3,453 million. Of this, £2,496 million was payments to housing associations. The remaining £957 million went direct to voluntary organisations to support the provision of services and a wide range of activities and projects, an increase in Government funding of 5 per cent. in cash terms and 3 per cent. in real terms over the level of provision in 1993–94.

The amount spent by each Department in 1994–95 with comparative figures for 1993–94 was as follows:

Department 1994–95 £,000 1993–94 £,000
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries 267 242
Crown Prosecution Service 20 20
Ministry of Defence 18,046 18,919
Department for Education and Employment
Direct 59,574
(Education) 5,908
(Employment) 50,057
Equal Opportunities Commission 26 38
Total—DfEE 59,600 56,003
Department of Environment
Direct 40,621 27,981
Countryside Commission 4,000 4,178
English Nature 1,3000 804
Housing Corporation 2,068,000 2,510,000
Rural Development Commission 4,000 4,744
Urban Development Corporation 10,600 11,036
Urban Programme 13,900 28,306
English Partnerships 1,000
Housing Action Trusts 565 625
Total—DoE 2,143,986 2,587,674
Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1,043 1,011
Department of Health
Direct 52,576 49,434
Alcohol and Drug Misuse 2,400 2,300
Health Education Authority 1,250
Total—DH 54,976 52,984
Home Office
Direct 61,043 59,205
Commission for Racial Equality 4,855 5,213
Probation Partnership Funding 3,582 2,210
Total—Home Office 69,481 66,628
Lord Chancellor's Department
Direct 163 183
Legal Aid Board 1,074 942
Total—LCD 1,237 1,125
Department of National Heritage
Direct 18,057 15,855
Sports Council 17,814 20,219
Arts Council for Great Britain 213,661
Arts Council for England 172,056
English Tourist Board 26 27
British Tourist Authority 3 3
Total—DNH 207,956 249,764
Northern Ireland Office
Direct 85,662 85,768
Housing Associations 44,879 49,293
Sports Council for Northern Ireland 626 728
Youth Council for Northern Ireland 1,471 1,421
Arts Council for Northern Ireland 3,318 3,603
Department 1994–95 £,000 1993–94 £,000
Northern Ireland Adult Education Centre 32
Northern Ireland Museums Council
Rural Development Commission 348 176
Total—NIO 136,337 140,990
Overseas Development Administration 185,114 158,450
Scottish Office
Direct grants 25,582 24,231
Highlands and Islands Enterprise 1,241 1,075
Housing Associations 268,540 273,302
Mental Illness Specific Grant 8,680 5,142
Scottish National Heritage 3,434 2,900
Sports Council for Scotland 2,082 1,898
Urban Programme 60,460 48,062
Scottish Arts Council 24,477
Total—Scottish Office 394,496 356,610
Department of Social Security 18,857 13,110
Department of Trade and Industry 13,888 14,435
Department of Transport 368 422
Welsh Office 13,773 14,071
Direct 148 285
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation 617 575
Development Board for Rural Wales 1,548 1,603
Flexible Community Care 114,556 122,082
Housing for Wales (Tia Cymru) 1,912 1,645
Sports Council for Wales 8,500
Arts Council for Wales 397 398
Welsh Development Agency 177 287
Welsh Tourist Board 5,711
Strategic Development Scheme 1,706
(Rural Initiative) 4,632
(Urban Programme)
Total—Welsh Office 147,339 147,283
Total
Direct grants 594,655 539,301
Indirect Grants (excluding housing) 362,381 371,691
Housing 2,495,975 2,954,677
Total: All expenditure 3,453,011 3,865,669

The 1994–95 figures include some data which have not been collected in past years. In order to provide a year-on-year comparison, similar data have also been obtained for 1993–94 and the figures for 1993–94 contained in the reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 19 July 1995,—Official Report, columns 1445–47 have been updated in the table.

In the case of indirect grants—payments by Government Departments to intermediary bodies, for distribution by them—end recipients are understood to be voluntary organisations in most but not necessarily all cases; and some of the expenditure may be used by the intermediary body in administering grant applications and payments.

I am also placing in the Libraries of both Houses reports further analysing Government grants to voluntary organisations in 1994–95 and 1993–94.