§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide a list of offices maintained by the regional development 669W agencies outside England; when they were opened; how many staff are employed in each; and what the cost is to each. [145727]
§ Ms Armstrong[holding answer 16 January 2001]The table sets out the offices currently maintained by the Regional Development Agencies outside England, with details of when they were opened, how many staff are employed in each and what the annual cost is to each.
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RDA/ Office location Opened Number of employees Annual cost to RDAs Other comments Yorkshire Forward: Asia Pacific 1983 2 full time £130,000 Japan North West Development Agency: Asia Pacific Late 1980s 2 part time £50,000 Also have Marketing Agents since 1993 operating in Taiwan Japan (£20,000) Advantage West Midlands: Europe November 2000 6 full time £170,000 Brussels office is a joint office with West Midlands Local Brussels Government Association, Higher Education and others. The total cost is £500,000. Also have one rep in Germany since September 2000, that incurs salary costs only of £80,000. Asia Pacific One part time rep in Taiwan since April 1998, incurring salary costs only of £40,000; two part time agents in Korea since April 1996, incurring salary costs only of £20,000. From January 2001 six month contract for one rep in Australia incurring salary costs of £65,000. East of England Development Agency: Europe Contribute 4 per cent, of total cost of office to East of England European Partnership Office in Brussels. The office is sponsored by local authorities and the seven TECS in the region. EEDA's contribution is £12,000. North America East of England Investment Agency, who carry out inward investment on behalf of EEDA, have a number of strategic alliances overseas, but at negligible cost. There is one part time marketing agent in the USA at an annual cost of £5,000. East Midlands Development Agency: North America January 1998-September 2000 1 full time £90,000 to September 2000 From October 2000, became a collaborative office with West Midlands. Europe Also have two part time agents operating in Germany, incurring salary costs of £28,000 Asia Pacific One part time agent in Taiwan, incurring salary costs of £35,000. Two part time agents in Korea, incurring salary costs of £15,000. South East of England Development Agency: Europe September 2000 1 full time £50,000 Collaborative office with South east local authorities. Brussels South West of England Regional Development Agency: Asia Pacific 1990 3 full time Japan North America 1£174,000 Also have five staff working from their homes in Sonoma California, Chicago, and Boston. The total cost of American and Japanese operations is £565,000 (£391,000 from public and private sector partners) Some of the offices predate the RDAs and have been inherited by the inward investment arm of the RDAs.
The table also shows details of other overseas inward investment activity undertaken by RDAs that is being delivered via appointed representatives or marketing agents, which do not incur office costs. Partnership and collaborative working means that the funding from RDAs is greatly enhanced and achieves improved value for money.
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RDA/ Office location Opened Number of employees Annual cost to RDAs Other comments One North East: Asia Pacific Japan 1974 2 full time £200,000 Korea 1990 1 × 0.5 £30,000 Taiwan 1989 1 full time £45,000 Total £275,000 North of England Collaborative Office: North America (Chicago, Boston3, Atlanta, West Coast3) October 2000 15 full time (projected) £500,000 Joint operation between; One North East, North West Development Agency and Yorkshire Forward Official Launch February 2001. Total cost of the Collaborative Office is £1 million. 50 per cent, of costs come from other public and private sector funding. Balance met equally between the three RDAs. Operations in Boston and Altanta predate the establishment of the Collaborative Office Midlands Collaborative US Office: North America 4 full time £330,000 Chicago October 2000 Joint operation between East and West Midlands. San Diego October 2000 Cost is shared 50:50 to each RDA—includes UK seconded staff Pittsburgh May 1992 costs Midlands Collaborative Japanese Office: Asia Pacific 1997 2 full time £200,000 As above Japan 1 part time London First Centre: Please note that London First Centre are a private company limited by guarantee and they carry out inward investment promotion on behalf of London Development Agency. Asia Pacific No overseas offices, however do use consultants/agents in selected locations. 0.5 of two people in Taiwan since 1998, cost £22,500. 0.5 of one person in Korea since 1998, cost £7,500. North America Two agents in USA since 1996, cost £165,000. 1 Combined cost of American and Japanese operations