| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
District Auditors
23. Mr. Bill Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with the controller of the Audit Commission concerning the work of district auditors. [33957]
Mr. Curry: None. The conduct of auditors' work is a matter for auditors and the Audit Commission, which appoints them. Auditors are obliged to follow procedures laid down in statute and amplified in the Audit Commission's code of audit practice.
24. Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with local authority associations about the response of authorities to district auditors' reports. [33958]
Mr. Curry: None. An authority's response to an appointed auditor's public interest report is a matter for the authority, their auditor and the Audit Commission, which appoints auditors.
South Pennines Moorlands
25. Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department is taking to protect and encourage biodiversity on the south Pennines moorlands. [33959]
Mr. Clappison: On 29 March 1996 I announced the classification of the Peak district moors--phase 1 of south Pennine moors--as a special protection area under EC directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. Officials are currently considering the results of consultations with other Government Departments, and owners and occupiers on the classification of phase 2 of the south Pennines moors as a special protection area.
Regional Government
26. Mr. Riddick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received urging that the Government introduce a tier of regional government above the existing framework of local government. [33960]
Mr. Curry: My right hon. Friend receives representations from time to time. The Government see no case for setting up new bodies to provide regional government, which would simply add an unwanted and unnecessary additional tier of bureaucracy and cost to existing arrangements.
English Partnerships
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the value for money criteria set by English Partnerships in considering applications for assistance; and what variation there is by region. [34420]
Sir Paul Beresford: English Partnerships investment guide, published in November 1994, specifies that all projects that the agency supports must offer good value for money in terms of the forecast outputs attributable to its investment. The guide details the five key outputs and sets out the appraisal criteria that the agency adopts and
2 Jul 1996 : Column: 394
the priority areas in which it operates. The community investment guide provides similar information for the community investment fund. These publications ensure a consistent basis for approval throughout English Partnerships regions, within which each can express its own strategic priorities. Copies of the investment guide were placed in the Library on 24 November 1994.
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of expenditure by region by English Partnerships in the financial year 1995-96. [34391]
Sir Paul Beresford: English Partnerships expenditure by region on its development programme in 1995-96, the agency's second full financial year of operation, is set out in the table.
| Region | Expenditure £ million |
|---|---|
| North East | 34.3 |
| North West | 52.0 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 55.0 |
| Midlands | 58.0 |
| South East | 25.6 |
| South West | 11.8 |
| Total | 236.7 |
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many jobs have been (a) created and (b) retained by region as a result of English Partnerships investment in projects during 1995-96. [34418]
Sir Paul Beresford: The agency's employment outputs do not currently distinguish on a comprehensive basis between jobs created and retained. This will be possible when the agency's new information technology project is fully implemented. The number of jobs which will be created or retained by region as a result of projects approved by English Partnerships in 1995-96 is set out in the table.
| Region | Total jobs expected to be created/retained |
|---|---|
| North East | 4,300 |
| North West | 6,500 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 8,000 |
| Midlands | 3,300 |
| South East | 1,600 |
| South West | 300 |
| Total | 24,000 |
These figures relate only to the direct employment outputs of English Partnerships investment arising on the sites themselves. The agency's development projects also have significant indirect employment benefits on wider local economies.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will provide a list of the projects over £1 million development cost by region for schemes that received funding from English Partnerships in 1995-96; [34393]
2 Jul 1996 : Column: 395
Sir Paul Beresford:
English Partnerships has approved 218 projects, each costing over £1 million, since its formation in November 1993. Of these, 123 were approved in 1995-96. I have asked English Partnerships to write to the hon. Member with a list of these projects, by region. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of funding by English Partnerships, to (a) private sector, (b) local authority, (c) community, (d) voluntary sector, (e) non-departmental public bodies and (f) others in the financial year 1995-96. [34392]
Sir Paul Beresford:
English Partnerships records project information by programme. The partnership investment programme invests in strategic projects which draw together a wide range of partners, primarily the private sector and local authorities, and the land reclamation programme supports local authority reclamation projects. The community investment fund supports smaller projects, undertaken by the voluntary sector and community groups, which achieve community benefits. Most of the agency's partnership investment projects also have community benefits. In addition, the agency undertakes development on its own account through a direct development programme where the needs is great, no suitable partner exists, and where such action--land assembly--will facilitate further private sector development. The table gives a breakdown of expenditure by these categories in 1995-96:
(2) if he will list the new projects by region over £1 million begun by English Partnerships since its formation, excluding projects inherited from (a) English Estates, (b) city grant, (c) urban development grant and (d) other programmes subsumed by English Partnerships. [34419]
| Spend 1995-96 £ (million) | |
|---|---|
| Partnership Investment Programme | 117.4 |
| Land Reclamation Programme | 84.4 |
| Community Investment Fund | 0.1 |
| Voluntary Sector | 1.0 |
| Direct Development | 33.8 |
| Total | 236.7 |
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many successful challenge fund bids English Partnerships is a partner in; if he will name them; and what are the amounts of money committed. [34351]
Sir Paul Beresford: English Partnerships is a potential partner in delivering 106 of the successful challenge fund bids. Many of these projects have not yet reached the stage where financial resources can be committed and are currently under appraisal by the agency. I have asked English Partnerships to write to the hon. Member with a list of all these projects, by region. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
2 Jul 1996 : Column: 396
Community Investment Fund
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which projects the community investment fund (a) has invested in and (b) made grants to in the financial year 1995-96 and how much by region; if he will name the projects; and what amount of money has been committed. [34352]
Sir Paul Beresford: English Partnerships has approved a total investment of £919,000 for community investment fund projects since the launch of the fund in June 1995. Payments to the value of £80,000 were made during 1995-96. The agency has set aside £3 million a year for the future operation of the fund. The community investment fund covers only those projects undertaken by voluntary and community groups which require an English Partnerships investment of less than £100,000. Most of the agency's partnership investment projects also have community benefits. In addition, the agency supports the groundwork foundation and groundwork trusts in developing community-based initiatives for the clearance and remediation of small sites. I have asked English Partnerships to write to the hon. Member with a list of all these projects, by region. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |