§ 2.43 p.m.
§ Lord Orr-EwingMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money was granted for regional development to British Telecom by the EEC in each of the last three years, how it was spent between the different United Kingdom regions, and how much private sector service providers received.
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Cockfield)My Lords, as the Answer contains a number of figures I will with permission include the detailed analysis in the Official Report. But, in brief, in the three years 1981, 1982, and 1983 grants allocated by the ERDF towards public sector infrastructure works undertaken by BT in areas eligible for national regional aid amounted to £76 million. These figures do not include sums allocated under supplementary measures, as these formed part of the procedures adopted to give effect to the United Kingdom's budgetary refunds.
The position of private sector service providers is quite different. They would not normally qualify in respect of infrastructure works; and in respect of industrial projects ERDF aid would not go directly to the company concerned, but would be in partial reimbursement of regional aid.
§ Following is the detailed analysis referred to above:
5§ Lord Orr-EwingMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that the House must be very grateful that these quite amazing figures have emerged from this Question? A sum of £76 million to help the infrastructure in parts of our country which need it is wholly salutary, and perhaps more people would have taken part in the European elections had figures of this kind been known and had just what the EEC is doing for various sectors of our economy been known.
§ Lord CockfieldMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for drawing attention to that matter.
Lord Bruce of DoningtonMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that of the aid of £76 million which he has mentioned, some 71 per cent. was provided direct by the United Kingdom to the EEC, that the EEC is acting as a conduit in the matter, and that the only profit gained by the United Kingdom is some 8 per cent. of the total?
§ Lord CockfieldNo, my Lords, I would not accept the noble Lord's interpretation of the figures. Probably what he has in mind is ERDF aid to the private sector in respect of industrial projects, but even there the figures are quite different from those which the noble Lord has given.