§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 9 May 2002, what proportion of the £730 million annual budget for a regional assembly in the north-west would be constituted of funds at present spent by(a) local government and (b) central Government Departments. [56489]
§ Mrs. RocheAll of the £730 million estimated annual budget for a regional assembly in the north-west will be made up of funds currently allocated by central Government Departments, their agencies and public bodies. Of this total my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions allocates £130 million to local authorities, for housing capital investment to improve their own housing stock, to support new build by housing associations and to renew private stock. Should an elected assembly be established in the north-west, it would be responsible for providing resources to local authorities in the north-west for these purposes.