§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the sums given to Northern Ireland by the European Economic Community regional fund in each calendar or financial year since the United Kingdom became a recipient of fund moneys; and what percentage of total Government expenditure this represented in Northern Ireland in each calendar or financial year.
§ Mr. Cope[holding answer 27 February 1990]: The European regional development fund was established after the United Kingdom's accession to the Community and the first grants were received in 1975–76. Figures for Northern Ireland's receipts, and the percentage they represented of public expenditure in the Northern Ireland block are as follows:
European regional development fund receipts and proportion of Northern Ireland block Financial year Total £ million per cent. 1975–76 2.9 0.2 1976–77 7.2 0.4 1977–78 6.4 0.4 1978–79 4.0 0.2 1979–80 16.0 0.6 1980–81 21.0 0.7 1981–82 16.4 0.5 1982–83 18.0 0.5 1983–84 13.5 0.4 1984–85 16.9 0.4 1985–86 18.4 0.4 1986–87 23.2 0.5 1987–88 45.9 1.0 1988–89 46.7 0.9 Total 1256.5 0.6 1 The figures show total European regional development fund receipts brought to account in Northern Ireland. It should be noted that awards totalling £10.5 million were decommitted by the European Commission on failed industrial projects.