§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the North-East Derbyshire constituency, the effect on North-East Derbyshire of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [150884]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe constituency of North-East Derbyshire has benefited from a range of Government initiatives since May 1997, including:
Housing resources mode available to North-East Derbyshire district council Year £ million 1997–981 0.805 1998–99 1.55 1999–2000 2.262 2000–01 3.439 2001–02 5.762 1 Last year of funding determined by previous administration Under the Government's first Comprehensive Spending Review, all local authorities received significantly more resources for housing. The increase in resources for North-East Derbyshire is illustrated in the table.
North-East Derbyshire has a large number of non-traditional properties requiring significant investment. North-East Derbyshire was successful in 1998 in attracting Private Finance Initiative (PFI) resources for a non-Housing Revenue Account (HRA) scheme on the Holmewood Estate, the first social housing PFI scheme to be approved by the Government. (Note: This scheme was worked out under the old Administration, but approved under the current one.) The council is taking forward a HRA PFI scheme to repair and refurbish defective stock centred on three housing estates comprising the former coalfield villages of North Wingfield, Danesmoor and Pilsley. This PFI bid has been put forward for appraisal. 333W
European Funding Total grant (£) Number of projects supported Objective 2 1997 to 1999 (ERDF) 5,702,602 21 Rechar II (ERDF) 4,438,927 14 Objective 3 2000–06 (ESF) 151,114 2 These grants have been allocated to a range of regeneration, social inclusion, environmental and transport improvement projects. Under the new Objective 2 programme 2000–06, parts of North-East Derbyshire will continue to have direct access to regeneration funding from the ERDF and also transitional funding under the new Objective 2 programme.
Single Regeneration Budget
SRB 5 An Alliance for Action: DETR contribution is £24 million
Based on the vision that the Coalfield area is a strong, prosperous and forward-looking sub-region, projects will be aimed at improving competitiveness, job creation, building community capacity and promoting a culture of lifelong learning.
SRB 6 Positioned for Prosperity: DETR contribution is £15 million1
Two main themes are Housing and Skills and Learning.
1These schemes include a number of distracts, one of which is North East Derbyshire. It is not possible to provide a separate figure for the area.SRB 1 and 4: DETR contribution is £11.5 million
Four programmes targeted on sites in Chesterfield/North-East Derbyshire and a fifth area-wide programme involving job creation, business support, education and training, community empowerment, and crime reduction measures. Approximately 50 per cent. of the funding for this scheme is allocated to North-East Derbyshire.
Coalfields Programme and Partnership Investment Programme
Avenue Coking Works, Wingerworth—£6,969,000 spent up to 31 December 2000.
Coney Green Business Park, Clay Cross—£2,289,300 spent up to 31 December 2000.
Coney Green Business Centre, Clay Cross—£339,778 spent up to 31 December 2000.
Plot 19, Clay Cross—£102,000.pent to date.
Rural Programme
£947,922 (from May 1997 to date).
334W
Local Transport Plans Year £ million 1997–98 13.0 1998–99 13.0 1999–2000 14.6 2000–01 25.6 2001–02 318.4 1 Derbyshire county council's Transport Policies and Programmes allocation.
2 From Derbyshire county council's provisional Local Transport Plan settlement.
3 From Derbyshire county council's full Local Transport Plan settlement.
The increase in settlement for the year 2001–02 represents the first instalment of the massive investment programme, promised in the 10-Year Plan (Transport 2010). It is money to be spent on local transport priorities. It is not possible to determine exactly how much of these amounts have been spent on the North-East Derbyshire constituency. However, the constituency has benefited from Derbyshire county council's integrated transport policies.
Local Government Finance Settlement £ million North-East Derbyshire district council Derbyshire county council 1997–98 4.868 307.918 1998–99 4.802 321.511 1999–2000 4.909 341.383 2000–01 5.064 360.961 2001–02 5.262 375.573 This information is for general grant (Revenue Support Grant, National Non Domestic Rates and damping grants). It is not possible to determine the exact amount allocated by the county council to North-East Derbyshire.
Derbyshire Energy and Environment Group
The group includes North-East Derbyshire district council and received from DETR administrative help, the expertise of an energy adviser estimated at £7,000 and £3,000 for publicity. Two Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 Action Scheme projects were granted £148,500 by DETR to improve residential energy efficiency.