HC Deb 25 November 1974 vol 882 cc66-8W
Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of the sums committed by the European Investment Bank for assistance to Northern Ireland or projects in Northern Ireland by way of grants or loan, respectively, since 1st January 1973.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

The European Investment Bank provides loan and guarantee facilities only, and so far has committed no sums for assistance to Northern Ireland or for projects in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of the sums committed by the ECSC for assistance to Northern Ireland or projects in Northern Ireland by way of grant or loan, respectively, since 1st January 1973.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

The European Coal and Steel Community has not committed any sums for assistance to Northern Ireland or for projects in Northern Ireland by way of grant or loan.

Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of the sums committed by the European Farm Fund for assistance to Northern Ireland or projects in Northern Ireland by way of grant or loan, respectively, since 1st January 1973.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Details of payments and commitments to the United Kingdom as a whole were given in the reply by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to a Question by the right hon. and learned Member for Huntingdonshire (Sir D. Renton) on 21st November.—[Vol. 881, c.477.]

The guidance section of the fund is committed to pay Northern Ireland applicants £1,743,140 in grants towards individual projects in the agriculture, horticulture and food industries, under its 1973 programme.

No decision has yet been taken by the European Commission about the 1974 programme. Northern Ireland expects to benefit from the guidance section of the fund in respect of common measures arising from various EEC directives and regulations, but I cannot at this stage say how much will be paid.

Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of the sums committed by the EEC for assistance to Northern Ireland or projects in Northern Ireland by way of grant or loan, respectively, since 1st January 1973.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

The sums committed by the European Economic Community for assitance to Northern Ireland or projects in Northern Ireland since 1st January 1973 fall into several categories.

European Social Fund contributions to Northern Ireland amount to £3 million in respect of the calendar year 1973 and to £4 million in respect of the calendar year 1974.

The European Economic Commission has undertaken to pay 50 per cent. of the cost, totalling £36,000 of the West Belfast survey. To 31st October over £14,000 had been paid over by the Commission to the consultants who undertook the survey. £1,203.94 was paid through the Northern Ireland Office to cover the cost of a labour force survey undertaken in 1973.

The Northern Ireland Office passed on £107.33 to the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture as Northern Ireland's share of money paid by the European Economic Community to the Central Statistical Office for a survey of United Kingdom agricultural earnings. Sums totalling £25,425.23 will similarly be paid in respect of a survey on bovine livestock.

Assistance to Northern Ireland from the European Farm Fund (FEOGA) is the subject of the answer to a separate Question.

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