6. Mr. nor Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount to date of grants and loans, respectively, received in Wales from the EEC regional fund.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Barry Jones)To date, grant commitments totalling £9.4 million have been made by the European Regional Development Fund in respect of projects in Wales. The fund does not make loans.
Mr. DaviesI am obliged to my hon. Friend for that detail. It indicates how much support Wales is receiving. Is my hon. Friend aware that it was anticipated that the EEC regional fund would be in addition to individual Governments' regional schemes? However, it does not appear as though that is the way that it is working out. Is my hon. Friend further aware that Mr. George Thomson, the Commissioner in charge of the EEC regional fund, has expressed concern at the way in which the fund is being operated by individual Governments? Will he look into that matter?
§ Mr. Barry JonesYes. Grants for local authority infrastructure projects will be passed direct to the local authority concerned to reduce its borrowing requirement. Other receipts from the fund are used by the Government to make bigger overall regional programmes than would otherwise be possible. I am sure that my hon. Friend will agree that Wales has done well from the fund so far, with well over 16 per cent. of the total funds committed to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MartenIs not that a pathetic sum compared with what the Government give in grants and aid to industry? Will the hon. Gentleman tell us what is due to Wales next year and the year after, in net terms?
§ Mr. Barry JonesI cannot at this stage say what the sum will be in the year ahead. However, I repeat that Wales has done well from the fund so far, with well over 16 per cent. of the total amount of grant.