MPs today reacted angrily after Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott failed to say how much cash East Lancashire will get to clear slum housing.

Politicians had expected a £670 million, 10 year programme to be announced when he appeared before the House of Commons.

But despite a broad hint from Chancellor Gordon Brown that 'significant' amounts of money were in the pipeline to get rid of poor housing and replace it with new, there were no details.

Mr Prescott's officials indicated to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph that it could be 12 to 18 months before any figure was finally put on the money available.

But East Lancashire MPs Greg Pope and Peter Pike were furious that several months after local councils put in a bid to then Housing Minister Lord Falconer, after he visited the area, nothing had happened.

But although Mr Prescott announced he would be taking forward the Pathfinder projects to tackle the problems in Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Hyndburn, there was no cash figure or official timetable for that to happen. A decision has still to be made on whether to include Rossendale in the scheme

Hyndburn MP Mr Pope was deeply upset at the lack of a cash figure or timetable. He and Burnley MP Mr Pike are now to take up the issue with the Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr Pope said: "I had expected Mr Prescott to give a figure and a timetable yesterday. I will be writing to him to find out what is happening.

"The people of East Lancashire have waited too long to tackle some appalling housing conditions. They can't afford to wait a year or 18 months more. I want a statement with details as soon as possible."

Mr Pike said: "I am disappointed. If we have to wait 12 to 18 months to find out what is happening that is not good enough. People have lived too long in some appalling housing conditions. We want action and we want it soon.

"If we haven't seen improvements on the ground within 12 months I will be furious. I shall be writing to Mr Prescott. We don't want another decision in 12 to 18 months, we want action. Something needs to be done by then."

The Deputy Prime Minister's department said they could not give a figure until they had detailed plans from each of the nine Pathfinder areas.

But Mr Pope and Mr Pike said officials had had plenty of time to look at the East Lancashire plan and at least give a 'ballpark' figure for council officials in the area to work on.

Mr Pope said: "They have had the plan for months. We've already had Mr Byers calling for a second version in May. We don't need a third version."

Bill Taylor, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "We are disapointed in the delay and will do our utmost to ensure the new timescales are adhered to.

"This extra funding shows that the Government is keen to address this serious issue."

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice said: "We expected figures for the next few years so local councils could have something to work on. We can't afford to wait another 12 to 18 months."

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson said: "I am very concerned indeed that we will have to wait before we know whether Rossendale is in the Pathfinder area and how much money it will receive. This is not good enough."