HC Deb 17 February 1976 vol 905 cc663-6W
Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will consult the British members of the European Parliament, particularly those who serve on the Regional Policy and Transport Committee of the Parliament, before establishing a strategy for the use of EEC Regional Fund moneys for 1977 and beyond;

(2) what organisations in the North-West of England, other than local authorities, the North-West Economic Planning Board has consulted, in drawing up policies for the use of EEC regional funds for 1977 and beyond;

(3) which local authorities in the North-West of England, the North-West Economic Planning Board has consulted in drawing up policies for the use of EEC Regional Funds for 1977 and beyond;

(4) if he will seek comments from the public on the North-West Economic Planning Board recommendations for the use of EEC Regional Fund moneys, before arriving at a final decision for 1977 and beyond;

(5) if he will publish the report of the North-West Economic Planning Board's recommendations on the use of EEC Regional Fund moneys for 1977 and beyond;

(6) what is the rôle of the North-West Economic Planning Board in Her Majesty's Government's strategic planning for the use of EEC Regional Funds for 1977 and beyond;

(7) what is the North-West Eonomic Planning Board's policy in relation to the use of EEC Regional Funds for 1977 and beyond in the strategic plan for the North-West.

Mr. John Silkin

No separate strategy for the use of EEC Regional Fund money for 1977 and beyond is in preparation or contemplated. Investment assisted from the Fund forms only a small part of the total industrial and infrastructure investment within the region and will take its place in the overall strategy for the region. Under Article 6 of the regulation establishing the Fund regional development programmes are to be prepared to provide a framework within which applications for assistance will be considered, but work on the preparation of programmes for the English regions has not yet begun.

The Economic Planning Board, which is composed of the senior officers of Government Departments within the region, provides a useful mechanism for disseminating information about the Fund, for gathering bids for assistance and for co-ordinating departmental views on such bids and on other matters relating to the Fund. The board has no policy of its own it applies the policies of the constituent Departments.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what amount of allocations from the EEC regional fund have been applied to the North West through the strategic plan for the area;

(2) which of the current schemes, at present receiving assistance from the EEC Regional Fund, fall within the ambit of the strategic plan for the North-West; and which do not.

Mr. John Silkin

Allocations made from the Fund in 1975 to assist projects in the North West Region totalled £3,029,986.

List A below shows the infrastructure projects benefiting which will assist the industrial development of the Merseyside Special Development Area and the Mersey belt; list B gives similar projects in the rest of the region, in particular in East Lancashire. In addition assistance is being given to two schemes at Wigan and Hyndburn which are designed to extend and modernise the trunk sewerage and effluent treatment capacity of the region in order to accommodate further industrial and housing development and improve the condition of rivers in the region.

Advance factory projects benefiting are listed in the Answer given by the Minister of State for Industry to the hon. Member for Moray and Nairn (Mrs. Ewing) on 2nd December last. Further industrial projects in the areas in List C will benefit.

All these projects are within the ambit of the regional strategy set out in the Strategic Plan for the North-West and the Government's response thereto and conform to the structure planning intentions of the local authorities concerned.—[Vol. 901, c. 576–580.] List A

  • Aintree Industrial Estate.
  • Astmoor Industrial Estate, Runcorn.
  • South Boundary Road, Knowsley.
  • Orrell Lane, Liverpool.
  • Larch Lea Industrial Estate, Liverpool.
  • Oldham Road/Bedford Street Industrial Estate, Rochdale.
  • Overpool, Central and Westminster areas. Ellesmere Port.
    • 666
  • Pimbo Industrial Area, Skelmersdale.
  • Parr Street/Higher Parr Street, St. Helens
  • Haresfinch, St. Helens.
  • Derelict Land, St. Helens.
  • Stanley Industrial Area, Skelmersdale.
  • Whitehouse Industrial Estate, Runcorn.
List B
  • Altham Industrial Estate.
  • Altham Lane, Hyndburn.
  • Martholme, Hyndburn.
  • Lomeshaye Industial Estate, Nelson.
  • Roman Road Industrial Estate, Blackburn.
  • Shadsworth Industrial Estate, Blackburn.
  • White Lund Industrial Estate, Lancaster
  • Eastern Industrial Estate, Winsford.
 List C
  • Blackburn.
  • Denton.
  • Liverpool (4 projects).
  • Manchester.
  • Padiham.
  • Port Sunlight.
  • Prescot.
  • Runcorn.
  • St. Helens.
  • Skelmersdale (2 projects).
  • Wirral (Ellesmere).