§ Mr. CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what funding sources are available to small pockets of deprivation outside the inner cities. [120124]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) is the main source of government funding for tackling the most deprived areas in England, regardless of whether or not they are in inner-city areas, amounting to some £679 million in 1999–2000. However, 20 per cent. of the SRB resources goes to significant pockets of deprivation in areas which are not in the most deprived areas, such as rural areas, market towns, the former coalfield areas and coastal towns.
In addition, substantial amounts of European Structural Funds will be available for the period 2000–06 amounting to £1,867 million for Objective 1 areas and £2,370 million for Objective 2 areas. A wide range of Government funding is also available, both as match funding and more generally, and this is set out in the DTI booklet, "Match Funding for European Structural Funds", published in March 2000.