HC Deb 20 March 2000 vol 346 cc392-3W
Ms Ryan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what mechanisms exist to ensure that initiatives across London which affect green and open spaces and the public funds invested in them can be co-ordinated. [114560]

Ms Beverley Hughes

A large proportion of the open space surrounding the built up area of London is designated as Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land. As such it enjoys a high degree of protection from development, through existing national planning guidance and local planning policies. In addition, Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3) issued in 1996 urges local planning authorities to encourage the maintenance and support of agriculture as a major economic activity in the Green Belt.

The new Mayor of London will be required to produce a number of important strategies including a spatial development strategy, a number of environmental strategies and biodiversity action plan. Each of the strategies should be consistent with the others. Together, these strategies will enable the Mayor to devise an holistic approach to the protection and enhancement of green and open spaces of strategic importance in London.

Ms Ryan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what hectarage of green and open space land open to the public is (i) owned and (ii) managed by the(a) Corporation of London, (b) Royal Parks Agency, (c) Lee Valley Regional Park, (d) London boroughs, (e) English Heritage and (f) other agencies. [114558]

Ms Beverley Hughes

This information is not held centrally.

Ms Ryan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much public funding was spent within the boundary of the M25 on (1) management and maintenance and (2) the development, conservation and restoration of public and open spaces, parks, gardens and estates by(a) the Corporation of London, (b) the Royal Parks Agency, (c) the Lee Valley Regional Park, (d) the Heritage Lottery Fund, (e) the London boroughs, (f) English Heritage and (g) other agencies and by way of (i) grants made available via the Government Office for London for Single Regeneration Budget or related green space projects, (ii) ESF Objective 2 grants related to green space enhancement and (iii) grants made by London TECs for country green space development projects in the last 12 months. [114559]

Ms Beverley Hughes

The information requested in respect of the Corporation of London, the Lee Valley Regional Park, the London boroughs and other agencies is currently not available centrally in the form, and for the geographical area requested. I am however able to say that the estimated net current expenditure of the London boroughs and the City of London on managing and maintaining parks and open spaces totals £100,896,000 for 1999–2000.

Responsibility for the Royal Parks Agency, Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage falls to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. My right hon. Friend informs me that the information requested in respect of the Heritage Lottery Fund is not currently available for the geographical area requested. The total grant paid to the Royal Parks Agency for 1999–2000 is £26.389 million, which is currently not broken down in the form requested. The English Heritage budget for 1999–2000 for the management and maintenance of properties and land within their care is a total of £3,597,618. The budget for development and conservation projects on English Heritage owned properties for 1999–2000 is £539,500.

No grants have been offered to third parties for management of open space, parks, or gardens in the last 12 months by English Heritage. However, London Region has commissioned a management plan to advise on proposals for College Farm at a cost of £15,000, and English Heritage contributed £37,000 to the Thames Landscape Strategy in 1999–2000.