§ Mr. LetwinTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire of 25 January 2002,Official Report, columns 1183–85W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if he will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which (a) his Department, (b) the housing action trusts, (c) English Partnerships and (d) the regional development agencies distribute funding to voluntary sector organisations. [51409]
§ Dr. Whitehead[holding answer 19 April 2002]: The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions does not hold information centrally on the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which it distributes funding to voluntary sector bodies. However, information in respect of the bodies specifically mentioned in the hon. Member's question is as follows:
(b) Housing Action Trusts give grants to support a wide range of local community groups and projects. Details are published in each Housing Action Trust's annual report and accounts. In 2000–01 the five trusts gave grants totalling approximately £1.1 million to support over 100 local initiatives.398W(c) English Partnerships is not a significant contributor of funds to the voluntary sector.(d) Regional development agencies currently provide Single Regeneration Budget funding to various regeneration partnerships who support projects that benefit the voluntary sector. Regional development agencies may also choose to provide support to the voluntary sector through their new single programme that started on 1 April 2002.