§ 3.3 p.m.
§ Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether they are satisfied with the criteria being considered by the EC Commission for designating areas as eligible for regional grants.
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, the criteria proposed by the Commission on 23rd March are neither entirely clear nor apparently fully satisfactory. Negotiations continue. The criteria have to be adopted by the Council unanimously.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his reply and I wish him strength in the negotiations. Is it true that the Highlands and Islands of Scotland would not qualify, while more prosperous and central areas would qualify under an indicator which measures GDP per head, to which clearly far too much weight is being attached?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, I am happy to assure my noble friend that I agree it is important beyond all doubt that the Highlands and Islands should continue to qualify for the regional fund. Indeed the Government have emphasised this in Brussels and I know the case has also recently been very ably put there by the representatives of the region.
The Highlands and Islands have by any European standards exceptional claims on Community assistance, notably in view of their location and the sparseness of population. I am confident that in the end these claims will be duly recognised, and in any event the criteria are to be adopted by a unanimous decision of the Council.
§ Lord Williams of ElvelMy Lords, can the noble Lord tell us what the Government's current attitude is towards the Community's structural fund? Do they now accept the Commission proposal to double the structural fund which they blocked before? If not, what proposals do the Government themselves have?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, if the noble Lord would care to put down a Question on that matter I should be very happy to deal with it. We are at this time dealing with the criteria, which are a different matter.
§ Lord MottistoneMy Lords, if the Highlands and Islands of Scotland are to receive regional aid from Europe, should the same not apply to the Isle of Wight?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, every time my friend stands I immediately think southwards, but in this case I suspect the answer must regretfully be no.
§ Lord Taylor of GryfeMy Lords, will the Minister confirm that the Highland region has received £100 million in regional aid in the last 10 years? It would be quite disastrous for the region if we were to lose that opportunity of further European aid. Will he 1068 also confirm that other local authorities which are benefiting similarly in Scotland are alarmed at the prospect of that aid being withdrawn? Since it requires the unanimous decision of the Commission, will he confirm also that his Government will be opposed to the proposals in their present form?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, I am happy to reassure the noble Lord in the terms that I have just assured the House that we believe that it is important that the Highlands and Islands should continue to qualify for the regional fund. I believe that the Highlands and Islands have by European standards exceptional claims for Community assistance and we shall continue to make that point.
§ Lord Cledwyn of PenrhosMy Lords, we do not dissent from what the noble Lord said about the claims of the Highlands and Islands. No doubt they are very good indeed, but does he not agree that the problems of the Highlands and Islands are nowhere as profound as in certain areas of Wales, particularly North Wales and in the North-East, which has just been referred to by my noble friend Lord Glenamara? Will he say that he will fight as hard for the rights and claims of the uplands of Wales, of the North-East and of Merseyside as he obviously will for the Highlands and Islands? Will he furthermore reply to the perfectly proper question of my noble friend Lord Williams of Elvel?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, we accept that it is also important both for rural Wales and the assisted areas in Devon and Cornwall that they should continue to qualify for the regional fund. We are pressing their cases in Brussels as well. But, with the greatest respect, I believe that the structural fund is another matter and I shall be very happy to deal with it or to write to the noble Lord.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords however academically attractive these proposed criteria may be—I was giving the Highlands and Islands as an example—will they not make absolute nonsense of the whole regional aid system if they are continued in their present form?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, we are at the beginning of a process of negotiation and I am sure that this is a matter which will become clearer in the fullness of time—at least I sincerely hope so.
§ Lord GlenamaraMy Lords, would the Minister care to comment on the proposal by Mr. Michael Heseltine, who was giving a full length personal party political broadcast on Monday of this week, for an English development board on the lines of the Scottish and Welsh development boards?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamMy Lords, I am aware of the interesting suggestions that have been made. I have great confidence in the work done by English Estates in the North-East and the North-West and I see no further reason for us to expand on that.
§ Lord Hailsham of Saint MaryleboneMy Lords, without in any way deprecating the feelings about 1069 particular areas of the mainland, will my noble friend bear in mind that there is also Northern Ireland, which has a very high rate?
§ Lord Young of GraffhamYes, my Lords. Before we make a territorial tour of the entire nation may I also lay the claims of West Sussex very firmly before your Lordships' House?