§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the President of the Board of Trade following the Council of Minister's meeting on 2 July, if he will make a statement on the Government's position regarding the European Community Konver programme for defence-dependent areas.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 12 July 1993]: The conclusions reached at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 and 3 July on the regulations on the future of European structural funds, if confirmed by the Council on 19 and 20 July, will enable member states to make available to areas not designated for objective 1, 2 or 5(b) a limited part of the European regional development fund contribution to the Community initiative Konver. The Government intend to make use of this new flexibility in the United Kingdom's 1993 Konver programme.
The future choice of Community initiatives was not discussed. It will be considered at a future meeting of the Council.