To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) which local authorities took part in the first wave of the housing market renewal projects; and which authorities have expressed the intention of taking part in the second wave; (232681)

The Housing Market Renewal pathfinder programme was established in 2003, with nine areas chosen for intervention, comprising the following 26 local authorities:

Birmingham/Sandwell:

Birmingham city council; Sandwell MBC

East Lancashire:

Lancashire county council, Blackburn with Darwen borough council, Burnley borough council, Hyndburn borough council, Pendle borough council, Rossendale borough council

Hull and East Riding:

Hull city council, East Riding of Yorkshire council

Manchester/Salford:

Manchester city council; Salford city council

Merseyside:

Liverpool city council; Sefton MBC; Wirral MBC

Newcastle/Gateshead:

Newcastle city council; Gateshead MBC

North Staffordshire:

Stoke-on-Trent city council; Newcastle under Lyme borough council; Staffordshire Moorlands district council

Oldham/Rochdale:

Oldham MBC; Rochdale MBC

South Yorkshire:

Sheffield city council; Barnsley MBC; Doncaster MBC; Rotherham MBC.

Three areas of wider low demand were added to the programme in 2005:

Tees Valley:

Hartlepool borough council; Middlesbrough council; Redcar and Cleveland borough council; Stockton-on-Tees borough council

West Cumbria:

Cumbria county council; Allerdale district council; Barrow district council; Copeland district council

West Yorkshire:

Bradford city council; Kirklees MBC; Leeds city council; Wakefield MBC

Funding for the period 2008 to 2011 was announced on 28 February 2008, Official Report, column 83WS. This covers the authorities as listed, with the exception of West Yorkshire, where funding for the South East Wakefield area of West Yorkshire is to be channelled through the South Yorkshire pathfinder.