HC Deb 04 July 1994 vol 246 cc20-1W
Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on liaison between his Department and the officials of DGXVI of the European Commission representing the Commission in Merseyside.

Mr. Baldry

The lengthy negotiations with DGXVI officials on the Merseyside single programming document were conducted constructively and in a business-like way, and have now been concluded. Liaison with DGXVI will continue, through its membership of the monitoring committee overseeing the objective 1 programme, and its membership of the two technical panels supporting that committee.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make copies of the agreed objective 1 programme for Merseyside available to those entitled to benefit from it.

Mr. Baldry

Extensive guidance material on the objective I programme, including simple question/answer sheets, more detailed general guidance, and special guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises is already available through the Government office for Merseyside and other agencies. Copies of the full document will become available once the Commission has completed its legal procedures on the document and a final text is available.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the reasons for the refusal on 22 June of the application made by Mr. Peter Johnson, managing director of Rea Metal Windows (Liverpool) Ltd., on behalf of his company to the Merseyside task force for financial support to expand the business and increase its number of employees; and what account was taken in considering the company's application of the company's rights under the agreed objective 1 programme, 1994 to 1999.

Mr. Baldry

The Merseyside objective 1 programme agreed with the Commission provides that grants will be paid to the private sector through intermediaries, to be designated by the monitoring committee. That cannot take place until the Commission completes its legal processes on the document. Mr. Johnson was seeking a form of assistance not provided there. Mr. Johnson was therefore encouraged by the objective 1 secretariat to speak to staff more directly concerned with business support, to see how his business might be assisted. He has now been sent an information pack about business support on Merseyside, which he is encouraged to follow-up with the Government office there.