§ 2. Mr. Wyn Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the grants and loans which have been agreed by the EEC institutions for Wales.
§ Mr. John MorrisAs the answer is long I will, with permission, circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. RobertsAccording to The Times this morning, no less than £323 million has been obtained by this country in grants from the EEC since January 1973. Of this, £100 million has gone to the North of England. Will the Secretary of State say how much has come to Wales?
§ Mr. MorrisI am not sure to which part of the issue the hon. Gentleman is referring, but I give in the answer a long list of schemes at Maelor, Llandyrnog, Glamorgan, Johnstown, Port Talbot, Llanwern, money from the European Social Fund, and one for Betws Colliery. A long list of schemes is set out in the full answer which I shall issue to the House.
§ Sir A. MeyerMay we have an assurance that the Secretary of State will not allow his personal views on the EEC in any way to weaken his resolve to extract every possible advantage for Wales from Britain's membership of the European Community?
§ Mr. MorrisI assure the hon. Gentleman that I shall always do my utmost to ensure that all moneys which are needed in Wales come to Wales. That is what I have done in the past, and I shall continue to do that.
§ Following is the information:
§ Agriculture
§ Among individual project schemes listed in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 5th November were four projects relating to Wales alone and one of part Welsh interest. The EAGGF grant in respect of each was:
| £ | |
| Cheese and milk factory, Maelor | 517,200 |
| Llandyrnog dairy | 198,581 |
| Glamorgan and Monmouthshire dairies | 25,680 |
| Johnstown dairy produce plant | 87,103 |
| Bulk milk collection in England and Wales | *850,983 |
| * The Welsh element in this cannot readily be identified. |
§ The above projects were approved under the 1973 programme. This year's programme has yet to be finalised.
§ European Coal and Steel Community
§ A grant of £21,000 has been made under Article 56 of the Treaty of Paris for assistance to 131 workers following the closure of coke ovens at Shotton. The new Betws Colliery near Ammanford will benefit from a £14 million loan negotiated by the National Coal Board for developments at five collieries in England and Wales.
§ European Investment Bank
§ Loans have been negotiated by the British Steel Corporation for developments at Llanwern (£14.7 million) and a new sinter plant at Port Talbot (£8 million).
§ European Social Fund
§ Allocations estimated at £2.7 million were made from the Social Fund in respect of Welsh schemes in 1973. A further allocation of £2.1 million has already been made for 1974–75.
§ Note
§ In addition to these schemes Wales will derive benefit from certain other grants and loans some negotiated on a United Kingdom basis.