§ 16. Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Employment what assistance has been forthcoming from 772 the European Community to help training opportunites for the young unemployed in the United Kingdom in each year since 1973.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonSpecific assistance for schemes of training, retraining and resettlement for young people under 25 years of age who are unemployed or seeking employment has been available under the European social fund since August 1975, rising from £2.2 million in that year to £71.9 million in 1980. The total assistance allocated from the fund in this period was £202.7 million.
§ Mr. ViggersDoes my hon. Friend agree that Britain has been a substantial net beneficiary of the European social fund and that this fact is overlooked, as are so many, by those who seek to oppose the Community?
§ Mr. MorrisonYes, I do. Last year Britain was allocated £71.9 million, which was 30 per cent. of the budget available, compared with our contribution of 21 per cent.