§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the square footage is of the English Partnerships' offices in Cockermouth. [88755]
§ Mr. MealeEnglish Partnership offices in Cockermouth were transferred to the North West Development Agency on 1 April 1999. I understand from the Agency that the net lettable area of the office is 5,135 square feet.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what proposals the North West Development Agency has for the future of the English Partnerships' offices in Cockermouth; [88752]
(2) what arrangements are being made for the sale or rental of the English Partnerships' offices in Cockermouth. [88762]
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§ Mr. MealeIssues relating to office accommodation are a matter for the North West Development Agency. I understand that once the Agency has confirmed a vacation date, the Cockermouth Offices will be marked as 'available to let'.
In the longer term, once the development is fully let, consideration will be given to its disposal on the open market.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the annual rental costs are of the premises to be occupied by(a) English Partnerships and (b) the Rural Development Commission at Penrith. [88756]
§ Mr. MealeDecisions on accommodation are for the North West Development Agency. I understand from the Agency that no final decision has been made on the location of the Penrith office. The annual rental costs of the likely premises to be occupied by the RDA staff (including former EP and RDC staff) are still under negotiation. However, I understand that the rental cost may be in the order of£10 per square foot.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the staff complement was at the English Partnerships office in Cockermouth in(a)1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998 and (d) 1999; and what the proposed complement of staff at English Partnerships' new offices at Penrith is for the first three years following relocation from Cockermouth. [88751]
§ Mr. MealeI understand that English Partnerships' staff complements in Cockermouth were(a) 1996–14, (b) 1997–14 (c) 1998–11 and (d) 1999–11; and that the proposed complement of staff at the North West Development Agency's offices in Penrith is 18 to 20 people.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Standard's Excellent Standard will apply to the offices which will be occupied by English Partnerships and other North West Development Agency operations at Penrith. [88757]
§ Mr. MealeDecisions on accommodation are a matter for the North West Development Agency. I understand that in conducting the negotiations for the Penrith office the Agency has told the construction firm that they are looking for a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Standard's Excellent Standard (BREAM). The Cockermouth office has no BREAM rating.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the schemes for which funding had been approved by English Partnerships but not legally committed and which are the subject of funding reappraisal following the commencement of the operation of the North West Development Agency. [88766]
§ Mr. MealeThere were no such schemes outstanding at the commencement of the North West Development Agency.
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§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are(a) the nature of the title and (b) the annual running costs of the English Partnerships offices in Cockermouth. [88753]
§ Mr. MealeIssues relating to accommodation are for the North West Development Agency. I understand from the Agency that the office at Cockermouth is held on freehold. The total running costs for the financial year 1998–99 were £513,735 for office related costs, including salaries, and £352,797 for estate related costs in connection with the Agency's portfolio of land and buildings in Cumbria. (Physical work on the 375 units comprising 845,000 sq. ft. across Cumbria).
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the budget for English Partnerships in each year since 1994; and what are the proposed budgets for the next three years. [88759]
§ Mr. MealeDetails of English Partnerships' total income and expenditure up to 1997–98 are given in their Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Library.
The information on grant-in-aid provided by my Depaertment is:
Year Grant-in-aid cash outturn (£million) 1994–94 183.0 1995–96 210.1 1995–97 226.0 1996–98 1259.8 1998–99 2294.2 1999–2000 3,5227.5 2000–01 4,6208.7 2001–02 4,6208.7 Total 1,818.8 1Includes grant-in-aid for the Greenwich Peninsula development. 2Includes grant-in-aid for Greenwich and for projects inherited from the Urban Development Corporations 3This figure includes an allocation for the Partnership Investment Programme (PIP) which will remain with English Partnerships (EP) Pending the resolution of issues that the Government are currently discussing with the European Commission. EP and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) will be co-operating closely on PIP projects. Full details given in a written answer to my hon Friend the Member for St. Helens North (Mr. Watts) on 21 Aprill 1999, official Report, columns 545–46 4Although no grant-in-aid provision has been Voted by Parliament for 2000–01 and 2001–02, the table shows Government's spending plans for English Partnerships announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review. This will be divided between EP and the RDAs. 5Provision 6Planned
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the maximum number of staff it is possible to accommodate in the English Partnerships offices in Cockermouth; and if the proposed personnel requirements of English Partnerships' and the Rural Development Commission in Cumbria could be accommodated there. [88754]
§ Mr. MealeDecisions about office accommodation are a matter for the North West Development Agency. I understand from the Agency that it estimates that up to 449W 20 staff could be accommodated in the Cockermouth offices. The offices are of sufficient size to accommodate the Agency's Cumbria Area Office.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions(1) what estimate he has made of (a) the change in the amount of excess mileage allowances arising out of the transfer of persons currently working at the English Partnerships office in Cockermouth to offices in Penrith and (b) the costs of excess mileage allowance if persons currently working for the RDC in Penrith had been required to travel to the Cockermouth offices of English Partnerships; [88764]
(2) what estimate has been made of the change in the costs in travelling time and mileage allowances in servicing West Cumbria following the move of English Partnerships' operations from Cockermouth to Penrith. [88769]
§ Mr. MealeDecisions on location are a matter for the North West Development Agency. I understand from the Agency that the cost of travelling time and mileage, including excess mileage costs for staff required to change their location, were among the factors taken into account in the decision in principle to locate the Agency's Area Office in Penrith. However, the costs are impossible to estimate with any confidence because the staff concerned will often travel to appointments direct from home. The Area Office will service the whole of Cumbria; some journeys will be shorter and others longer depending on the destination for appointments.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions from which year's budget the additional costs of the location of English Partnerships' in Penrith will be funded. [88760]
§ Mr. MealeDecisions on location are a matter for the North West Development Agency. I understand from the Agency that its relocation may take place towards the end of this financial year, in which case the cost may be met in part this year and in part next year.
My Department will not be providing additional funding for the relocation.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment has been made of the costs of complying with TUPE arising out of the transfer of staff from the Cockermouth offices of English Partnerships to a new location at Penrith. [88765]
§ Mr. MealeDecisions on location are a matter for the North West Development Agency. I understand that costs associated with the transfer of staff have been fully taken into account when value for money aspects of the potential move were being considered by the Agency.