HC Deb 09 March 1999 vol 327 c165W
Mrs. Ellman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much he expects each English region to receive from the coalfields portfolio in(a) 1999–2000 and (b) future years; and who will be taking the decision on these allocations. [75738]

Mr. Meale

Some £195 million is planned to be spent on the coalfields portfolio over the next three years.

The regional allocation of the coalfields portfolio programme for 1999–2000 is expected to be as follows:

£ million
North East 11
North West 3.8
Yorkshire and Humberside 15
East Midlands 17.1
West Midlands 1.5
South East 0.9
South West 0.3

These figures have been agreed between English partnerships and the respective Regional Development Agencies. Regional allocations for future years will be determined in the same way.

Mrs. Ellman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much each English region received from the coalfields portfolio in each of the past five years. [75739]

Mr. Meale

The coalfields portfolio did not transfer to English Partnerships until the end of 1996–97. The following chart sets out total spend by English partnerships in the five EP regions which contain coalfields over the past two years.

£ million
1997–98 1998–99
North East 3.2 1.7
North West 1.4 0.7
Yorkshire 6.2 12.2
East Midlands (all Midlands, 1997–98) 12.1 3.9
West Midlands 5.7

Note:

The expenditure includes both grant in aid and agency-generated receipts.