HC Deb 31 March 1999 vol 328 cc753-5W
Mr. Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account will be taken of sparsity factors in determining the budgets for RDAs. [79495]

Mr. Caborn

Most of the funding for Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) in 1999–2000 will be in respect of the regeneration programmes which they will inherit. The distribution of those resources is determined largely by statistical indicators of need. While sparsity is not an explicit factor, regeneration funding to rural development areas has been on the basis of a formula designed to reflect rural needs.

For later years, resources will be allocated to RDAs in response to the corporate plans which they submit to the Secretary of State. Allocations will take account of the needs of the regions, the soundness of the RDAs' plans for tackling those needs and their performance in implementing their programmes.

A review is currently underway of the Index of Local Deprivation, which is used in the distribution of the Single Regeneration Budget. It will cover all aspects of the Index, including the methodology and the indicators which make up the Index. The review will explore the possibility of introducing a measure of sparsity. However, the key consideration in determining the content of the Region. Spend across the year is therefore not recorded by Government Office Region A forecast figure has been provided for 1998–99.

region are not coterminous with those of the Government Offices. Regional figures for years before 1998–99 are not available. A forecast figure has been provided for 1998–99.

Index is that it is a good measure of deprivation and is based on robust data which are available on a nationally consistent basis for small areas across England.

Maria Eagle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he intends to exercise his powers under paragraph 8(5) of Schedule 2 to the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. [79705]

Mr. Caborn

My Department has today issued a Dispensation under paragraph 8(5) of Schedule 2 to the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. The effect of the Dispensation is that, in certain circumstances, members of the boards of Regional Development Agencies are not debarred from participating in the deliberations or decisions of the Agencies in respect of matters in which they have a direct or indirect interest. The purpose of the Dispensation is to ensure that, so long as the requirements of propriety are met, members are not debarred from participating in discussion or decisions for which they have a relevant expertise. I have placed copies of the Dispensation in the Library.

Mrs. Ellman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he will give to the regional development agencies on their strategies. [79706]

Mr. Caborn

Developing a new strategic vision for the English regions will be the first and most important task for the RDAs. I am today issuing statutory guidance to advise them on what Government expects of their strategies. The guidance has been prepared in consultation with all relevant Government Departments, in particular the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Education and Employment. Its publication follows a wide public consultation launched last October. The comments we received enabled us to refine the guidance and I am grateful to all those who responded to our request for comments.

The fundamental purpose of RDAs' strategies will be to improve regional economic performance and enhance regional competitiveness. The guidance stresses the need for RDAs to develop an integrated and sustainable approach in their strategies. The aim should be to tackle business competitiveness and the need to increase productivity and to address also the underlying problems of unemployment, skills shortages, inequalities, social exclusion and physical decay. By integrating economic, social and environmental issues in this way, the strategies will set the context for sustainable economic growth in the English regions.

We want the RDAs' strategies to support and enhance national policies while addressing the particular needs of regions. In this way they will be able to inform and influence national Government's economic policies and to provide a framework for the delivery of national and European programmes.

RDAs' strategies will provide focus and coherence not only to the RDAs' own work, but also to the work of their regional partners. The strategies should be the product of regional dialogue, and should identify priorities for action which regional partners can buy in to and help to deliver. Only through strong and effective partnership will the RDAs ensure that their strategies command support. Their relationship with the emerging regional chambers will be of particular importance.

I am also giving to the RDAs today a supplementary package of non-statutory policy and programme guidance to underpin the statutory guidance on their strategies. This will include material on regeneration, competitiveness, skills, sustainable development, rural policy, equal opportunities and working with the voluntary and community sectors.

Copies of all the guidance have been placed in the Library and will also be available on the DETR website.