HC Deb 05 December 1977 vol 940 cc560-1W
Mr. Kenneth Clarke

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether Her Majesty's Government support the proposal of the European Commission that a portion of the resources of the Regional Fund should in future be disbursed by the Commission without regard to the national quota system; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Cryer

The Government have no objection in principle to the establishment of a limited non-quota section within the European Regional Development Fund, provided that the arrangements governing its use are satisfactory and that the future size of the Fund is adequate to accommodate it.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set out the relationship between the national quota of the Regional Fund and the expenditure of the National Government on regional aids to industrial investment for each of the member countries of the EEC in each of the last three years; and if he will express expenditure from EEC sources as a percentage of national Government expenditure in each case.

Mr. Cryer

The United Kingdom's national quota is 28 per cent., and its share of the current (1975–77) European Regional Development Fund is £150.3 million.

Since October 1975 the Commission has approved Fund commitment to approved projects in the United Kingdom

1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 (estimated)
(1) Actual or estimated United Kingdom gross receipts from the Fund £9.3 million £39.7 million £31.0 million
(2) Actual or estimated United Kingdom expenditure on regional aids to industry £767.6 million £807.4 million £564.0 million
(3) (1) as a percentage of (2) 1.2 per cent. 4.9 per cent. 5.5 per cent.

The national quotas of other member states, as detailed in article 2 of regulation 724/75, are:

Percentage
Belgium … … … … … … 1.5
Denmark … … … … … … 1.3
France … … … … … … 15.0
Ireland … … … … … … 6.0
Italy … … … … … … 40.0
Luxembourg … … … … … 0.1
Netherlands … … … … … 1.7
Federal Republic of Germany … … … 6.1

I have no responsibility for other member States' expenditure on regional aids to industry.