HC Deb 25 March 2002 vol 382 cc668-70W
Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the potential for private finance initiatives within urban regeneration. [41387]

Ms Keeble

The Secretary of State has asked English Partnerships to carry out a feasibility study into the use of private finance initiatives within urban regeneration

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the local government finance assistance schemes available through Leeds City Council to tackle urban poverty. [45373]

Ms Keeble

My Department's main programmes such as the Housing Investment Programmes (HIP) and Revenue Support Grant all contribute to the alleviation of urban poverty. In addition, my Department runs the following programme which specifically addresses thisNeighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF), which is paid as part of Rate Support Grant, amounts to:

  • 2001–02: £4.1 million
  • 2002–03: £6.2 million
  • 2003–04: £8.3 million.

NRF is specifically targeted at deprived communities.

The HIP allocation for 2002–03 is £12.8 million. The Major Repairs Allowance allocation is £35.05 million.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the inner city budget schemes initiated to tackle urban poverty since June 1997. [45372]

Ms Keeble

Since June 1997, my Department and its predecessor Department have initiated the following programmes which aim to tackle poverty and address social exclusion, particularly in the most deprived local authority areas, including those in inner cities:

Year Name of scheme
1998 Single Regeneration Budget round 4
1999 Single Regeneration Budget round 5
1999 New Deal for Communities
2000 Single Regeneration Budget round 6
2000 Government's share of the European Regional Development Fund
2001 Single Regeneration Budget transitional arrangements for the RDA single programme
2001 Community Chest
2001 Community Empowerment Fund
2001 Neighbourhood Management Programme
2001 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund
2001 Neighbourhood Skills and Knowledge Programme
2001 Neighbourhood Wardens Programme
2001 Starter Homes Initiative
2001 Street Wardens Programme

Ms Oona KingAnswers

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of EU state aid rules on the use of private sector partnerships to deliver urban regeneration in the UK. [41385]

Ms Keeble

The closure of the PIP programme has restricted the use of regeneration PPPs. We are currently working on ways of removing these restrictions. However, provided public and private involvement in the regeneration PPP acts on the same terms it should not be affected by the state aid rules. The existing gap funding schemes allow PPPs to provide state aid within defined limits. The Single Regeneration Budget, one of the Government's major regeneration programmes, is delivered through local regeneration partnerships and the private sector continues to be an important member of a large number of these.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his most recent estimate is of the quantity of previously developed urban land available for development in the London Region; and what estimate has been made of the number of new dwellings that may be accommodated on that land. [45651]

Ms Keeble

Estimates from the National Land Use Database show that, within London in 1998, there were some 2,820 hectares of previously developed land that were unused or may have been available for redevelopment. Estimates from the boroughs suggested that some 1,720 hectares of this were suitable for housing and could accommodate some 82,000 dwellings. The figures provide a snapshot of the land available in 1998. The estimated dwelling capacity reflects the development plan policies applying at the time and were made prior to the publication of revised national planning policy guidance on Housing (PPG3). The figures do not make allowance for new brownfield sites emerging in future, or other sources of additional capacity, not involving greenfield land, such as sub-division of existing housing, flats over shops and empty homes.

In September 2000, the GLA published a report entitled "London's Housing Capacity". The capacity study, undertaken in 1999, estimated that there was potential for 381,000 net additional dwellings in London in the period 1997–2016. If vacancies and non self-contained accommodation are included the capacity is 458,000 household spaces. The study found that of the large identified housing sites (which comprised nearly 30 per cent. of the total capacity and where detailed information about former use was available), 97 per cent. were brownfield sites

The National Land Use Database is currently being updated to 2001.