§ Mr. SwinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown of all allocations of money over £10,000 made under the New Deal for Communities in the financial year 1997–98; if he will give the allocations over £10,000 already made under this programme for financial years 1998–99 and 1999–2000; if he will give(a) the amount allocated to running costs and (b) the total funds available for each of the next three financial years; and what percentage of this will be under the control of the Scottish Parliament. [65799]
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§ Mr. Macdonald[holding answer 18 January 1999]: The Working for Communities and Listening to Communities programmes were introduced earlier this financial year. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in May 1998 that two initial pathfinders would be established in Greater Easterhouse (Glasgow) and Wester Hailes (Edinburgh) under the Working for Communities programme; I expect the total cost of the two pathfinders in the current year to be between £250,000 and £300,000. An annual allocation of up to £200,000 is available to support each of the two pathfinders for the following three years.
Funding of £315,000 is being made available to support the development of New Community Schools in this financial year. Funding for this initiative will in future years be made available through the Excellence Fund for Schools.
A total of £3.3 million is available to support the Working for Communities and Listening to Communities programmes in each of the next two financial years, rising to £6.3 million in 2001–02. I have already announced the broad objectives for these two programmes and I expect to make a further announcement on the allocation of funds under these programmes before the end of March.
The running costs associated with the programmes are covered within the Scottish Office administration budget, and the funds earmarked for the Working for Communities and Listening to Communities programmes will come under the control of the Scottish Parliament.