Mr. leuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are currently being made by his Department to ensure the maximum possible level of funding from the European Community structures directives to objective 5b status areas of Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsThe integrated development operations programme—IDO—for Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys, under objective 5b of the EC's structural funds, was formally approved by the Commission on 14 May this year. The European regional development fund—ERDF —element of the IDO was already operating as a national programme of community interest, and some £67.4 million in ERDF grants has been allocated to projects in the three counties, out of a programme allocation of £79.3 million for 1987–91. Approval to the IDO means that European social fund projects can also be supported, and the allocation of £1.8 million for 1990 has already been committed to projects. A further IDO programme for 523W 1992–93. to take up funds already committed to Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys, will shortly be submitted to the Commission.