§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the deprived areas which will benefit from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. [132110]
§ Ms ArmstrongWe will consult in the autumn on which local authorities should benefit from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.
395W
§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions who will determine the spending allocations of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. [132115]
§ Ms ArmstrongThe Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions will bring before the House a Special Grant Report under section 88B of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.
§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the priorities will be for the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. [132114]
§ Ms ArmstrongThe Neighbourhood Renewal Fund will make a key contribution to the delivery of the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal—including new targets for education, crime, employment, health and housing in deprived areas—and help to get money to where it is most needed. Authorities will work with new Local Strategic Partnerships to draw up local deprivation strategies which will spell out how the additional funding will help to renew the most deprived communities and promote closer co-operation with the police, health and other local services.
§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) who the lead Minister will be for the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal; [132112]
(2) what the role will be of (a) the RDAs and (b) local authorities in the implementation of the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal. [132113]
§ Ms ArmstrongThe Report by the Social Exclusion Unit on a "National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal: a framework for consultation", published last April, raised these issues in its key ideas 22, 23 and 24. Decisions on these and other points in the draft Strategy will be announced in the autumn when the National Strategy Action Plan setting out the Government's response to the consultations is published.
§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on the role of the new National Centre for Neighbourhood Renewal; [132280]
(2) where the National Centre for Neighbourhood Renewal will be based; to whom it will be accountable; and what its budget will be. [132111]
§ Ms ArmstrongThe Social Exclusion Unit's Policy Action Team on "Learning Lessons" (Policy Action Team 16) recommended setting up a National Centre for Neighbourhood Renewal, to play a leadership role in promoting effective, inclusive approaches to neighbourhood renewal. The Government have accepted this recommendation.
The Policy Action Team envisaged that the Centre would promote: quality training and development for neighbourhood renewal among policy makers, professional and practitioner groups and community organisations; better access to "lessons learned" from previous experience; better collaboration between those involved in neighbourhood renewal; better research on the issues; and better leadership.
396WThe Government are currently considering and consulting on the precise scope and functions of the Centre. This will include consideration of the location, budget and accountability arrangements.
§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the relationship will be between local authorities, regional development agencies and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. [132116]
§ Ms ArmstrongIn drawing up local deprivation strategies for using the new Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, local authorities will work with new Local Strategic Partnerships. The RDAs should be key members of the partnerships in the areas in which they are investing.