§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to announce details of the European Economic Community non-quota aid scheme for shipbuilding areas, which was signed in Brussels on 21 July.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI am pleased to report that the special programme of Community aid to certain United Kingdom shipbuilding areas has now been formally approved by the Commission of the European
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European Regional Development Fund—Non Quota Measure for Shipbuilding Breakdown by Region and Measure ECU'000 £'000 Zone Total Conversion of disused buildings, etc. (Article 4(1)) Consultancy (Article 4(3)) Common services for SME's (Article 4(4)) Technical innovation (Article 4(5)) Risk evaluation studies (Article 4(6)) Total Article 4(3)–4(6) ECU £ ECU £ ECU £ ECU £ ECU £ ECU £ ECU £ Strathclyde 7,000 3,889 5,250 2,917 1,050 583 140 78 350 194 210 117 1,750 972 Cleveland 1,200 667 1,000 556 120 67 16 9 40 22 24 13 200 111 Tyne and Wear 4,400 2,444 3,300 1,833 660 367 88 49 220 122 132 73 1,100 611 Merseyside 1,400 778 1,050 583 210 117 28 16 70 39 42 23 350 195 Belfast 3,000 1,667 2,250 1,250 450 250 60 34 150 83 90 50 750 417 17,000 9,445 12,850 7,139 2,490 1,384 332 186 830 460 498 276 4,150 2,306 (£1=ECU 1.8) Communities. The programme represents a valuable contribution by the Community towards overcoming the worst effects of the reductions in shipyard employment in Strathclyde, Cleveland, Tyne and Wear, Merseyside and Belfast.
The ERDF will now provide 17 million European currency units, over £9.4 million, over the period 1981 to 1985 to help improve the environment and encourage the development of new employment-creating activities in these areas. Most of the aid, £7.1 million, will be devoted to projects for the improvement of rundown areas and the conversion of disused buildings into suitable new premises. The remaining £2.3 million has been set aside for aid to small and medium-sized firms towards the provision of consultancy and common services, help on technical innovation and information and on facilitating access to risk capital.
The following table indicates the amounts to be made available for the various purposes in each of the shipbuilding areas covered by the programme.