§ Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has held with the East Midlands regional development agency regarding reductions in single regeneration budget funding granted in the current year; for what reason and on what basis SRB grants awarded in Northamptonshire have been scaled back in the current year; and which SRB projects are subject to savings clawbacks in the current year. [160104]
§ Ms Beverley Hughes[holding answer 2 May 2001]: There have been no reductions in the East Midlands Development Agency's SRB allocation for 2001–02. The SRB allocation for the East Midlands Development Agency has been increased to £38.398 million in 2001–02 from £37.700 million in 2000–01. The RDAs have the responsibility to manage their programmes within their allocations, and negotiate individual SRB schemes on an annual basis.
We regularly meet RDA chairs collectively and have discussed finance issues, including SRB funding, on several occasions.