§ Mr. Michael Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what approaches have been made to the EEC to seek aid to pay for some of the damage 396W caused by the recent blizzards in South Wales;
(2) what steps his Department has taken to co-ordinate the requests by representative bodies in Wales such as local authorities and the National Farmers' Union for aid from the EEC to pay for some of the damage caused by the recent blizzards in South Wales.
§ Mr. Alec JonesWe have asked local authorities in the affected areas to submit reports on the net additional expenditure they have incurred; and the Ministry of Agriculture is collecting information on the damage farmers have suffered. Similar information is being collected in respect of the affected areas in England and Scotland. When my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Scotland and the Minister of Agriculture and I have received this information, we will consider the case for assistance from the EEC.