§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many funding commitments were launched by her Department and across the Government following the publication of the Rural White Paper in November 2000, stating which(a) require bidding and (b) are linked to a set funding formula; and what total amount is available for each commitment. [79908]
§ Alun MichaelThere are 260 key commitments contained or referred to in the Rural White Paper, of which 29 have direct funding arrangements. The figures are set out in the table below. Further information on the progress of these schemes is available in our Rural White Paper implementation plan on www.defra.gov.uk
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Funding Commitment Bidding Set Funding Formula Total Community Service Fund* ✓ £15m over 3 years Refurbishing Post Offices ✓ £2m Single Small Schools Fund ✓ £240m over 3 years One stop primary care centres ✓ £100m Sure Start ✓ £22m Social Exclusion Projects ✓ £4.5 Police Visibility in rural areas ✓ £60m Housing Corporation programme of affordable housing in Figures currently settlements under 3000 ✓ being collated Starter Homes Initiative ✓ £250m Rural Housing Enablers* ✓ £2.8m Promote flexible lettings policies by Local Authorities ✓ £13m Rural Transport Partnership* ✓ 19.5m Parish Transport Fund* ✓ £15m Rural Bus Subsidy ✓ £132m Rural Bus Challenge ✓ £20m Community Rail Partnerships* ✓ £0.2m Rail Passenger Partnership ✓ £52m Regeneration of 100 market towns* ✓ £37m Leader +* ✓ £50m Business clusters ✓ £54m Help for small/medium sized abattoirs* ✓ £20m School Milk Scheme ✓ £1,5m National School Fruit Scheme ✓ £42m Extension of Redundant Buildings Grant scheme ✓ £4m Local Heritage Initiative ✓ £5m National Parks Grants* ✓ £31.5m(2002–03) Increased funding for AONBs* ✓ £1.1m(2002–03) National training strategy/best practice toolkit for Parish and
Funding Commitment Bidding Set Funding Formula Total Town Councils* ✓ £2m Help 1000 rural communities prepare plans* ✓ £5m Notes: * Programmes administered by Defra or one of its agencies The European Rural Development Programme is an important component in the delivery of the policies set out in the Rural White Paper. This programme commits £1.6 billion in funding over 7 years.