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Regeneration Funding

Adam Price: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much regeneration funding was received by each of the English regions in each year between 1974–75 and 2001–02; and what the estimated figures are for (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04, (c) 2004–05; and (d) 2005–06, (i) in cash terms and (ii) at constant 2001–02 prices. [89823]

Mr. McNulty: Expenditure by English region for urban regeneration is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Table 1 shows total cash outturn expenditure from 1992–93 to 2000–01. Comparative figures are not available before 1992–93. Expenditure on neighbourhood renewal programmes by English region is given in Table 2.

Following the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting systems, outturn figures from 2001–02, and plans, are compiled on a resource basis. Resource plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06 will be published shortly.

Table 1: Urban regeneration outturn and plans£ million

Outturn											Plans
	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Cash	1,195	1,420	1,215	1,039	1,154	1,239	1,223	1,182	1,333	-	-
Resource	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1,452	1,658
At constant 2001–02 prices	955	1,162	1,008	887	1,016	1,125	1,140	1,129	1,302	1,452	1,658

Table 2: Neighbourhood renewal outturn and plans by English region £ thousand

Region	1998–99 cash outturn	1999–2000 cash outturn	2000–01 cash outturn	2001–02 resource outturn	2002–03 resource plans
North East	14	756	3,128	14,242	74,080
North West	39	932	5,852	13,527	122,880
Yorkshire and Humberside	63	774	2,871	14,047	78,330
East Midlands	11	460	1,532	7,855	39,950
West Midlands	65	640	6,632	10,244	63,920
Eastern	24	173	695	3,435	21,270
South East	18	370	1,723	6,171	18,480
South West	10	204	1,091	3,001	19,420
London	17	246	10,771	26,108	118,170
Totals	261	4,555	34,295	98,631	556,500
At constant 2001–02 prices	243	4,350	33,502	98,631	556,500

Sefton Council

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding Sefton Council has received from the Community Empowerment Fund; what organisations manage the fund; what projects have been developed; and which communities benefit. [89486]

Mrs. Roche: The Community Empowerment Fund for Sefton totals £435,432.00 for the three-year period up to 2004.

The fund is managed by the Sefton Community Empowerment Fund Steering Group on behalf of the Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) who are the lead organisation and accountable body.

The Community Empowerment Fund is being used to develop the initiatives and mechanisms needed to support the Sefton Voluntary and Community Sector Network which supports the full engagement of communities in local decision making and service planning. These include the creation of a Network Development Team; support for the North Sefton Community Development Project; the mapping of the particular needs of groups who have historically been

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marginalised including black and racial minorities, lesbian, gay and bisexual, faith communities and the disabled community.

Social Exclusion Unit

Mr. Beith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment the Social Exclusion Unit has made of the impact of debt on poor families. [91421]

Mrs. Roche: The Social Exclusion Unit has not made any specific assessment of the impact of debt on poor families. It has, however in previous reports, highlighted the effects debt can have on particular disadvantaged groups. In a recent report, "Reducing Re-offending by Ex-prisoners", the SEU assessed the impact of debt on a prisoner's chances of re-offending.

Also, "Access to Financial Services", a report of Policy Action Team 14, published in November 1999, found that many people in low income households and on tight budgets can ill afford the burden of servicing loans, and that there is a need for practical alternatives to expensive credit.

Urban Regeneration

Helen Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the implications for urban regeneration in the north-west of the recent decision in the case of Rowlinson v. Warrington Borough Council. [92330]

Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to make a statement in this regard. The judgment in Rowlinson v. Warrington was made in the light of the facts in that case; The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not convinced that they are of wider or general application.

HEALTH

Bursary Scheme

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the introduction of the bursary scheme for students taking the Diploma in Social Work. [90576]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 14 January 2003]: The bursary for social work students commences in September 2003 and will be payable to new and existing students who ordinarily reside in England, who are undertaking the new degree in social work or the diploma in social work and who are not funded through training by their employer.

The bursary is non means-tested and is being introduced to encourage more students to enter training. It will be paid at the rate of £3,400 for students residing in London during their studies, £3,000 for those living outside London or £2,600 for those who continue to reside in the parental home. This includes £500 per year towards travelling costs incurred during practice placements. The student's assessed liability for tuition fees will also be met.

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Students are still entitled to apply for a student loan and if they have special needs may also be entitled to allowances from the local education authority (LEA). A means tested bursary scheme already exists for social work students who hold a first degree who are not entitled to student loans and LEA allowances. The General Social Care Council administers this.

Alzheimer's Awareness Week

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to support Alzheimer's Awareness Week in July. [91151]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 20 January 2003]: The Alzheimer's Society has achieved great success over the years in raising awareness of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

This has been very important in helping people with dementia and their carers receive the care and support that they need. Raising awareness is important for delivering on the standard set out for mental health in the older people's national service framework.

While currently the Department has no particular plans around this year's awareness week, we fully support its overall aim.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of children had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in each year since 1997. [92063]

Jacqui Smith: Information on numbers of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is not collected centrally.

Care Homes

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received on the member failures of care homes to pass on 'free' nursing care contributions to residents from (a) Members of Parliament by party group and (b) members of the public. [82965]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 25 November 2002]: Of the in excess of 20,073 letters received by the Department from hon. Members and the in excess of 31,278 received from the public in the last 12 months; 332 and 301 covered issues relating to free nursing care, including fee levels, the process of assessment, banding levels for registered nursing care contributions, policy justification, the mechanisms of payment and the costs of equipment, broken down by party group as follows:

Labour—165


Conservatives—126


Liberal Democrats—36

Cruse Bereavement Care

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support his Department has provided for Cruse Bereavement Care; and what assessment he has made of their contribution to the alleviation of mental ill health. [92043]

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Jacqui Smith: The Department has provided Cruse Bereavement Care with funding over a number of years under the Section 64 General Scheme of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. Details of current projects and funding are:

Projects	Funding
Quality care in bereavement	£180,000 over 3 years from 1999(29)
Bereavement care—improving access	£176,000 over 3 years from 2000
Promoting bereavement awareness	£90,000 over 3 years from 2001
Service delivery plan to meet client need	£150,000 over 3 years from 2002

⁽²⁹⁾Project completion now 2003

The Government recognise that to deliver a modern, dependable health and social care service, the voluntary sector has a crucial role to play in helping service users cope with their mental health problems. We appreciate and value the very good work being done by voluntary organisations such as Cruse.

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