§ 38. Mr. Hayesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated benefit to the United Kingdom from the European social fund in the current financial year.
§ Mr. GummerIt is not possible to estimate the benefit the United Kingdom will derive from the European social fund in the current financial year. Allocations from the 161W fund do not relate directly to United Kingdom financial years, and the allocations for 1984 have yet to be announced by the Commission. Applications for 1985 are not yet due for submission. However, the United Kingdom has benefited considerably from the social fund in recent years and in 1983 was allocated grants amounting to £321 million—that is 30 per cent. of the total.
§ 47. Sir William van Straubenzeeasked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of youth training scheme places are paid for from funds received from the European social fund.
§ Mr. GummerIn 1983 the European social fund made allocations totalling about £209 million to the United Kingdom for youth training schemes operated by the Manpower Services Commission in Scotland, Wales, and the northern, north western, Yorkshire and Humberside and west midlands regions. It is estimated that these allocations covered the cost of approximately one in three places on the schemes in those regions.