§ 32. Mrs. EllmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made in setting up a housing market renewal fund. [55561]
§ Ms KeebleWe are making excellent progress in pursuing our objective to turn round the incidence of low demand by 2010.
Last month my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions announced that we are inviting nine areas to work with the Government in developing pathfinders to tackle low demand and abandoned housing.
Last Thursday my right hon. Friend announced that £25 million was being made available from the Capital Modernisation Fund for investment in the nine pathfinder areas. This will enable each pathfinder to start early the process of preparing a strategic plan and inform future investment.