HC Deb 05 November 1993 vol 231 cc513-4W
Mr. David Porter

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the status of the bids on behalf of(a) Lowestoft and (b) the Waveney valley for EC structural fund assistance; and when he expects all details to be finalised.

Mr. Sainsbury

Lowestoft and the Waveney valley are included in the Government's proposals for areas to receive grants from the funds under objectives 2 and 5(b) respectively. The Government's proposals were fowarded to the European Commission on 7 October. The Commission is now considering all the proposals from all the member states concerned. The final decisions are expected in December.

Mr. David Porter

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department or local authorities will match pound for pound any structural funding forthcoming from the EC by the end of this calendar year.

Mr. McLoughlin

The European structural funds make grants at various percentage rates towards the cost of a wide variety of projects undertaken by various beneficiaries, including Government Departments, local authorities, and many others. That part of the cost of each project which is not met by the funds is the responsibility of the beneficiary, and will continue to be so.

Ms Quin

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a breakdown by standard planning region of the total amount of outstanding contracts and payments from the EC structural funds for the current allocation.

Mr. McLoughlin

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the relationship between objective 2 areas and assisted areas; and what representations have been made by the Government to the European Commission on behalf of(a) non-assisted areas in Britain currently having objective 2 status and (b) assisted areas holding objective 2 status.

Mr. Sainsbury

[holding answer 4 November 1993]: There is no direct connection between the objective 2 and United Kingdom assisted areas maps.

I have made no representations to the European Commission since I sent to Brussels on 7 October the United Kingdom's list of proposed areas for designation under objectives 2 and 5b.

I published that list in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce) on 22 October, Official Report, column 723–24.